Deadliest Assistant
by ThereseM
Summary: Victoria is hired as the personal assistant by Deadliest Catch. Will she be able to handle the workload and the crews or will it prove to be too much.
1. Chapter 1

**Getting back into a longer story, this one has been sitting in my brain for a bit. Please read and review. Rating may increase in later chapters**

Victoria stood at the counter slowly eating her dinner, her eyes trained on the answering machine light. Impulsively she pressed play, the machine crackled a bit and then the voice of her agent began speaking.

_Vicks,_

_I hope you've had enough time to lick your wounds. You knew it was going to happen though, no one marries their stylist and keeps the same staff that knew her when she was a stylist. I've got another job for you all lined up. It's for a group of guys and none of them have stylists. I'll send you over a few seasons of their show. They all do a lot of appearances and you are going to be their social coordinator and assistant. It's going to be a cake walk for you. You leave in two days so get your bags packed, you are going to Alaska so dress warm. I'll have a car pick you up on Wednesday at 9. Before you start dialing me back to say no, your old boss Thom Beers is asking specifically for you and hopes you consider this a personal favor to him. Watch the tapes, get a feel for the guys and call me when you get there. Bye. _

Victoria looked disdainfully down at the message machine as if it had personally wronged her. It was a low blow for Tony to pull the personal favor card. She had no desire to go to Alaska, although she needed the work. Looking around her apartment she knew it wouldn't pay for itself, she was almost at the end of her severance pay from her last job. Glancing at the box that had arrived that afternoon she knew she should open it, but she really had no desire to see the guys she would be working for. Why couldn't Tony have found her a nice woman for her to work with, she snorted at the thought, women were never nice, at least in her experience. Sighing she put her dish in the sink and popped the first DVD into the player. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the opening footage. Crab Fisherman, she was going to be an assistant to a bunch of crab fisherman. Her fingers were dialing Tony's number before she'd even closed her mouth.

"Vicks" answered Tony.

"Is this some sort of joke?" she asked her voice slightly hysterical.

"Is what a joke?" asked Tony.

"These tapes you sent over, crab fishing, you want me to be an assistant to crab fishermen? Why do they need an assistant? What am I suppose to be doing for them, giving them blow jobs and getting themcoffee?" yelled Victoria.

"Victoria, get a hold of yourself. You won't be on the boats, you are meeting them up there to get to know them before the promotional tour starts. You are going to coordinate their appearances and their travel plans. The job will probably run for the summer, they have websites, clothing lines, merch stuff that needs to be tended to, you will also be doing that sort of thing." explained Tony.

Victoria turned back to the screen watching the guys moving around on deck. She was surprised to learn they had merchandising lines and doubted they really needed an assistant.

"Vicks are you still there?" said Tony.

"Yes. I'm still here, just in shock. Why did Thom call in this favor?" asked Victoria.

"Because, he says they need a little wrangling and you are just the girl to do it. Victoria, listen to me I think you need to get out of LA. I haven't heard from you for weeks, you've been sulking about getting fired. I bet your icebox is full of ice cream." said Tony.

"Shut it Tony." said Victoria as she walked to extract a pint of mint chocolate cookie Ben and Jerry's from her freezer. "Fine, I suppose I'll call you from Anchorage when I arrive."

"Vicks, you are going to Dutch Harbor in Unalaska." said Tony.

"Well wherever I end up I'll call you" said Vicky hanging up the phone. Turning up the sound on the tv she watched one of the guys throw a flaming hook into the ocean. "What the hell am I getting myself into." she said to herself.

The plane touched down in Dutch Harbor after only two attempts. The pilot turned around and looked at Victoria before giving her a thumbs up. Victoria looked up from her magazine and smiled.

"I thought you'd be screaming your head off on that last pass but you were as cool as a cucumber." said the pilot.

"I've been on a lot of small planes, and if it's my time it's my time" said Victoria.

"Good luck out there, watch your step it's icy" said the pilot opening the door.

"Thanks for the warning" said Victoria grabbing her carryon. She walked into the tiny airport pulling her suitcase behind her and looked around. Tony had said someone from the Discovery crew would pick her up and take her to the hotel.

"You must be Victoria" said a guy bundled in a coat, cap and gloves. Thrusting out his hand for her to shake he continued "I'm Mark, the executive producer."

"Nice to meet you" said Victoria.

"Well now that the niceties are over, lets go" said Mark immediately turning around and heading to the door. Victoria followed after him wondering where he went to charm school. He walked out to an SUV and tossed her suitcase in the trunk before getting into the driver seat, Victoria gracefully slid into the passenger seat and put on her seatbelt. When she turned to look at Mark she saw him staring at her tight covered legs. Looking up into her eyes he smirked.

"I hope you brought something warmer than that to wear up here" he said haughtily.

"I'm sure I'll be fine" said Victoria placing her bag over her legs.

"Whatever, I'm just trying to help you out." said Mark.

"So what do you do up here?" asked Victoria.

"I'm the EP up here and I coordinate the embedded producers and the line producers" said Mark proudly.

"Sounds interesting" said Victoria.

"So, who did you piss off to get sent up here?" asked Mark.

"I'm doing it as a personal favor" said Victoria.

"Oh really, well you must have owed them big time because these guys are animals, they are going to eat you alive" said Mark.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence" said Victoria.

They pulled up in the front of the Aleutian Hotel. Victoria was impressed it looked like a nice 4 star hotel. Walking into the lobby her expectations were confirmed, it was a beautifully appointed hotel. She received her room key and Mark walked her up to her room. Opening the door it looked like a pretty standard hotel room, she set her suitcase in her closet and turned back to Mark who was sitting on the bed.

"You got a really nice room. Ready to go down to the dock?" he asked.

"Sure, let me grab my stuff" said Victoria, quickly packing her laptop and a few notebooks into a bag. She was ready a minute later and Mark was still laying on the bed. "I'm ready."

"Wow, you're fast for a girl" said Mark standing up. Victoria just rolled her eyes and followed Mark out of the room.

The SUV pulled up next to a black boat with a skull and crossbones on the front. Victoria knew it was the Time Bandit before she even saw the name painted on the side. Mark jumped out of the car and scurried towards the boat, hopping effortlessly over the side. Victoria slowly got out of the passenger seat and walked to the edge of the dock. She stared down onto the deck which from her vantage point looked miles away. Two men emerged from a door and walked out onto the deck. Mark was talking animatedly to them and pointing in Victoria's direction.

"Well are you coming down or what?" asked one of them. Victoria took a deep breath and stepped onto the railing of the boat. She balanced their for a second before sitting down on the railing then dropping to the deck. Double checking she was uninjured she walked over to the guys.

"Hi, I'm Victoria" she said holding out her hand.

"I'm Andy Hillstrand" said Andy shaking her hand.

"I'm Jonathon" said Jonathon shaking her hand.

"Nice to meet you both" said Victoria.

"Come inside and we will try to get you thawed out." said Andy taking her hand. Feeling Andy's warm hand holding hers made her realize how cold she actually was.

Victoria found herself sitting in the galley sipping a very hot cup of coffee and listening to Mark talk with the captains and the embedded crew. Andy and Jonathon both seemed nice enough, they had provided her with some general ideas of what they would need her to do. Mainly help to streamline their website and clothing sales. She pulled out her laptop and gingerly pulled up their website, making notes about what she could do to make it work better. She asked if they had any samples of their clothing line and they said just the shirts they wore. They looked pretty standard and since they already had a manufacturer making them it would be easy to increase or decrease orders based on demands. She showed them their show promotion schedule and went over the dates they would need to be places and if they had any personal vacations planned. Once all the business was out of the way the guys began peppering her with questions.

"You are really organized" said Jonathon.

"I have to be, especially since I don't have just one client I have a dozen" said Victoria.

"So Victoria have you ever been on a boat like this?" asked Andy.

"Nope" said Victoria.

"Would you like a tour?" asked Jonathon.

"Sure" answered Victoria. The next hour was spent going through the boat seeing the different staterooms, the wheelhouse, the engine room, a look into the crab tanks and finally the sauna. Victoria was hesitant to come out of the sauna because it was probably the first time she'd been really warm since she got off the plane. When they returned to the wheelhouse one of the camera guys told her that Mark had left and that she would have to find her own way back to the hotel. Victoria just shrugged.

"We were just heading to the bar, why don't you join us" suggested Jonathon.

"Sounds like fun" she said. Walking back out onto the deck she stared at the distance from the deck to the dock.

"Don't worry, we'll help you" said Andy hopping up to the dock. Victoria was picked up by Jonathon and Andy was able to grab her wrists and hoist her onto the dock. "Tada" said Andy when her feet hit the dock.

"Thank you" said Victoria.

"Anytime" said Jonathon jumping onto the dock behind her. The trio walked together to the bar.

Inside the Elbow Room the crew of the Time Bandit was already well into their drinks. When Andy and Jonathon walked into the bar with a leggy girl in a skirt and tights they knew their night just got a little more interesting. Jonathon and Andy walked Victoria over to the crew and introduced her.

"Hi everyone" said Victoria smiling at each guy.

"Wow, I've never seen such a pretty girl in Dutch before" said Scotty.

"Thanks for the compliment" said Victoria.

"She's the new personal assistant for the Deadliest Catch" explained Andy. "So treat her nice."

"So you are all of our assistant?" asked Shea.

"Kind of, but don't get any ideas that I'm going to be bringing you coffee or picking up your dry cleaning." said Victoria jokingly.

"Who has dry cleaning up here" laughed Eddie.

"What do you want to drink?" asked Jonathon.

"I'll have a crown and coke" answered Victoria.

"Good choice" said Jonathon before walking to the bar. Victoria took a seat next to Andy and tried to get to know the crew a little better. Jonathon brought her drink and she sipped it slowly enjoying her new employers. She hoped the rest of the crews were this nice. Neil slid in next to her and asked her where she was from and what she was doing in Alaska. Victoria explained the personal favor and her agents insistence that she needed to get out of LA.

"Did you kill someone there?" asked Neil.

"No, but it's definitely crossed my mind" said Victoria with a smile. Andy tapped her leg to get her attention.

"Hey, it's starting to snow, so we should probably get you back to your hotel." he said.

"Sounds good" said Victoria sliding out of the booth and straightening her skirt. Andy led her outside to a truck and helped her inside. They took off slowly towards the hotel. Victoria stared out the window the entire time. Pulling the car into the hotel parking lot Andy walked around and opened the door for Victoria.

"Thank you" said Victoria taking his hand to hop down. She looked up to the sky and opened her mouth catching a snow flake on her tongue.

"Is this the first time you've ever seen it snow?" asked Andy.

"Yes, I've been in snow skiing and stuff but I've never actually seen it fall. It's beautiful" said Victoria.

"Well I'm sure you are going to see a lot more snow while you are up here." said Andy leading her towards the door of the hotel. He walked her up to her room and then kissed her chastely on the cheek telling her that they boat was leaving tomorrow for their second trip. Victoria wished them good luck on their catch and looked forward to seeing everyone when they got back. Closing the door Victoria quickly changed into her nightgown and slipped into bed.

The next few days were spent working on the Time Bandits website and clothing sales. She'd managed to contact Jonathon's ex-girlfriend who'd originally set up the site and who happily gave Victoria the passwords and script she needed to update it. Victoria was surprised to see how many personal messages were sent to the website and decided to start a note to the crew section. She'd just finished testing the message center when there was a knock at her door. Getting up she opened the door and saw Captain Sig Hansen standing in the hallway.

"Are you Victoria?" he asked gruffly.

"Yes" she answered.

"Lets go, I'm missing part of the offload." he said.

"Ok, give me a minute." said Victoria inviting Sig into the room. She quickly shoved her laptop and notebooks back into her satchel, then put on her coat and grabbed her hat and gloves. Her boots were the last thing to be put on before she announced she was ready to go. Sig looked her up and down and nodded his approval. The ride to the docks was very informative. Sig explained that the Northwestern had a website and clothing line which partnered with Helly Hansen. They did signings at the Helly store all the time and had a few set up for the summer. Victoria took notes in her notebook as they drove. Sig watched her out of the corner of his eye wondering what she was doing here. Victoria looked very out of place in Dutch Harbor, in fact the rumor mill was already spinning out stories about why she was here. Her visit to the Elbow room with the TB crew had not gone unnoticed. Pulling up at the dock Sig leaned over and opened the door for her. He watched as she gracefully slid out of the seat her feet sinking into the ankle deep snow. Victoria walked carefully towards the Northwestern, quickly getting use to walking on the uneven snow covered dock.

Edgar and Jake were on the deck watching the scales and marking down the brailer weights when they heard Sig yell from the dock.

"Edgar, how's it going?" asked Sig.

"It's good" said Edgar turning to look at Sig. His eyes stopped on the girl standing on the dock next to his oldest brother. She looked like she'd just stepped out of a movie. Her hair was tucked into a knit cap with wisps of caramel colored hair framing her face. She was wearing jeans and a sweater that hugged her figure.

"Who's she?" asked Jake.

"I have no idea" answered Edgar walking towards the dock. He stopped just under where Victoria was standing. She looked down at him and smiled. Sig jumped down onto the deck and looked up expectantly at Victoria.

"You have permission to come aboard, if that's what you're waiting for" said Sig. Victoria took a step onto the rail and then sat down on it. Edgar held his arms up and she dropped herself into them. The second Edgar caught her he smelled her shampoo and felt how soft and curvy she was. Setting her down gently he made sure she was steady before he released her.

"Thank you, I'm still getting use to getting down onto a deck" said Victoria.

"No problem." said Edgar.

"I'm Victoria, your new personal assistant." said Victoria sticking out her hand. Edgar pulled off his glove before shaking her gloved hand.

"Edgar, deck boss" said Edgar.

"Nice to meet you." said Victoria before walking over to where Sig was standing with Jake. She didn't say anything until he turned to look at her.

"Well, personal assistant, what do you need to know." he asked.

"I have your promotion schedule, I can make any updates to the boats website or work on any merch problems you have. I'm really here to help with any business that you can't handle when you are out at sea" explained Victoria.

"So what do you know about crab fishing in general and this fishing vessel in particular" asked Sig.

"Crabs are caught in pots that can weight up to 800 pounds, adult male crabs are the only permissible type to be caught and must be at least 10 inches across at their widest point. Each boat or coop is given a specific quota which is part of the rationalization guidelines. The Northwestern was built in Seattle in 1977, it's been lengthened twice and is currently 125 feet long and can carry as many as 250 pots, it's been owned and operated by the Hansen family since it's purchase."

"Alright, you've clearly done your homework" said Sig. "So what will you be doing for us?"

Victoria mentally sighed. "I will do anything for you, with in reason." she said.

"Will you cook for us?" asked Sig.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"Are you a good cook?" asked Sig suspiciously.

"Yes, I've gone to culinary school" said Victoria.

"What about laundry, will you do our laundry?" asked Sig.

"I suppose I could. Although I'm not a maid." said Victoria. She had a feeling he'd have her cleaning the bathroom if she didn't give him some limitations.

"Well lets start with dinner, let me show you to the galley" said Sig. Victoria followed him through the door and into the galley. Taking off her jacket, hat and gloves she laid them down on the bench.

"Can I use whatever I want?" she asked Sig.

"Sure" said Sig. Victoria walked into the galley and quickly found the vegetables and a small freezer with an insane amount of meat in it. She found some lamb and quickly decided to make lamb stew with herbed rice.

Matt walked into the galley to start dinner and was shocked to see a girl chopping vegetables. He watched her quietly wondering who she was. Sig made it a rule not to have women on the boat while they were fishing and he wondered who this exception to the rule was. He heard the deck door open and saw Edgar shucking off his sweatshirt. Without saying a word he pointed to the girl in the kitchen, Edgar shrugged and mouthed something that Matt couldn't understand. Edgar brushed past him and headed to his stateroom. Matt finally decided if he wanted answers he was going to have to ask the girl himself.

"Hi" said Matt walking up behind her. He got no response and realized that the girl was listening to her ipod. He waited until she put down the knife before tapping her on the shoulder. Victoria jumped a mile and stifled a scream. Ripping out her earbuds she turned around.

"Hi, I'm Matt."

"Hi, I'm Victoria."

"Whatcha making?" asked Matt.

"Lamb stew with herb rice" answered Victoria.

"Why?" asked Matt.

"Because it's really good and I've made it a bunch of times so I can make substitutions if necessary." answered Victoria.

"No, I meant why are you cooking." said Matt.

"Because Sig asked me. I'm the new assistant" said Victoria.

"Boat Assistant?" asked Matt.

"No, deadliest catch assistant. A personal assistant for all the boats to help with appearances, website content, etc." said Victoria.

"Then why are you cooking?" asked Matt.

"I don't really know." said Victoria turning back to the stove.

"Nice to meet you Victoria" said Matt. After Matt's visit word spread to the rest of the crew that they had a new assistant and she was cooking dinner. Victoria became the newest attraction on the boat getting multiple visits from every single member of the crew. Dinner was cooking on the stove and Victoria settled herself at the galley table and started to work on her computer. She first updated her date book with the Helly Hansen appearances that Sig had told her about then updated her personal file on the crew of the Northwestern. She was just checking her email when Edgar walked in.

"Dinner done already?" he asked.

"Nope, it needs to cook a little longer" said Victoria.

"Nice laptop" said Edgar sliding in beside her.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"How do you get internet on this boat?" he asked surprised to see her yahoo account up.

"With this" she said pointing to her wireless internet card.

"How far out does it work?" asked Edgar.

"I don't know the farthest I've tried it is here and the Time Bandit yesterday." said Victoria. She moved through her email then synched up her phone to update her date book. Disconnecting her phone she set it down on the table. Edgar immediately picked it up and started playing with it.

"You've got a lot of stuff on this phone" he said flipping through her date book.

"My whole professional and personal life in a tiny silver square" said Victoria with a smile.

Dinner was a success and everyone enjoyed the food. The offload ended right before 8, so the crew was able to eat all together. Victoria was able to meet everyone and chat with them about what they thought about personal appearances and their websites. She got Edgar, Norman and Matt's myspace and facebook passwords so she could update them and add content at the guys requests. Jake took her on a tour of the boat showing her everyone's quarters and all the interworkings of the boat. Edgar drove her back to the hotel and walked her up to her room. He followed her in and sat down on the bed.

"So, personal assistant Victoria, you learned a lot about us tonight but we didn't really learn anything about you."

"Well, I'm 31, I've been a personal assistant for 10 years to a few different people. Most notably to you would be the creator of Deadliest Catch Thom Beers" said Victoria. "I'm doing this as a personal favor to him and because my agent thinks it will be good for me to be away from Hollywood."

"What happened in Hollywood?" asked Edgar.

"I got fired when my previous boss married his stylist. She fired everyone who knew her when she wasn't married to him. It's pretty common, but it still hurt" said Victoria.

"Well that sucks" said Edgar.

"It sure does, but it's over and now I'm here" said Victoria.

"I for one am glad you are, you add a little class to our little corner of the world" said Edgar with a smile. "See you when we get back in."

"Have a safe trip" said Victoria walking Edgar to the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the positive feedback on this story. Please continue to read and review.

Victoria was woken up by the sound of her cell phone ringing. Leaning over she answered it groggily.

"Hello?"

"Victoria, it's Edgar. I was wondering if you could do me a favor today?" he asked.

"Sure, let me get my notebook" said Victoria struggling out of bed and moving to the desk. "Ok, I'm ready."

"I am going to miss my wife's birthday, it's on Monday. I was hoping you would be able to buy her a gift for me and send it to her." explained Edgar.

"No problem, what do you want to get her?" asked Victoria turning her notebook to a fresh page and writing down the date.

"Um, something nice" said Edgar vaguely.

"What's her favorite color?" asked Victoria.

"Um, I think it's blue" guessed Edgar.

"What color are the towels in your guest bathroom at home" asked Victoria.

"What?" said Edgar clearly confused.

"Just answer the question" said Victoria sternly.

"Green" answered Edgar.

"Could you be more specific?" asked Victoria smirking slightly.

"Not really" said Edgar.

"Ok, are they light green or dark green?" prompted Victoria.

"Light green" said Edgar.

"Like the color of lime jello?" asked Victoria.

"No, it's more of a greenish gray" said Edgar his frustration level rising.

"Ok, I've got it, like sage" said Victoria.

"What? Sure whatever. Just please send her something nice" said Edgar.

"I'll work on it right now. What do you want the card to say?" asked Victoria.

"Happy Birthday and I love you. Add whatever you think is appropriate" said Edgar. "Listen I have to go we are leaving the dock in less than an hour."

"Just two more questions. What's her name and address? And how much do you want me to spend?" asked Victoria.

"Louise and spend as much as you want" said Edgar, then he quickly rattled off his address.

"Bye, have a safe trip" said Victoria before hanging up. "If I had enough credit I would buy her a sage colored car just to prove you should never give an assistant carte blanche."

Victoria spent the rest of the day picking out a gift for Louise. Searching the internet she finally found a wonderful sage green French knickers and camisole set, guessing on Louise's size from some pictures she found on the Helly Hansen website she sent the gift with a funny message.

_Louise,_

_Once again I've missed your birthday, I wish that I was there to see how amazing you're going to look in your sexy underwear. _

_Happy Birthday I love you,_

_Edgar. _

_Victoria also had a bouquet of Sweet Pea's sent to the house. She hoped the gift was well received, she'd never actually met the woman and had no idea how her tastes ran. Victoria figured she did her best and if Louise didn't like it she'd know better for next time. Spending the rest of the day updating her files on the guys of the Northwestern she took a break to walk down to the docks. Walking along the docks she saw that the Cornelia Marie was offloading. She wondered if it would be rude to just go over and introduce herself. Shrugging to herself she walked down the deck towards the boat. The closer she got the bigger the boat seemed to get, by the time she actually reached the bow she realized the size of the boat seemed enormous. Looking down on the deck she watched as the brailers were loaded with crab, she was mesmerized by how quickly the guys worked. _

_"Hey, are you lost?" asked one of the crew members approaching her. _

_"Not really. Do you work on the boat?" asked Victoria._

_"Yeah, I'm Josh Harris" he said._

_"I didn't recognize you with all the layers on. I'm Victoria the new deadliest catch assistant" explained Victoria. "I just saw the boat pull into port and thought I'd come check it out and maybe introduce myself."_

_"Well come aboard, I'm sure everyone would love to meet you" said Josh with a smile. Scaling the side of the boat he landed gracefully on the deck. Victoria just looked at him and tried to emulate exactly what he did, she wasn't successful and ended up falling the last few feet to the deck and landing squarely on her butt. _

_"Wow, that look like it hurt. Are you ok?" asked Josh helping her to her feet. _

_"I'm fine, although I think my ego might be bruised" said Victoria with a smile. _

_"I won't tell anyone" said Josh. He walked her into the boat stopping to introduce her to each crew member they encountered. Josh lead up the stairs to the wheelhouse to introduce her to the captain. _

_"Josh, what are you doing up here, I thought I sent you to the store" said Phil. _

_"I found someone who you should meet" said Josh stepping aside to reveal Victoria. _

_"It's very nice you found a girlfriend in the 5 minutes we've been in port but unless you want me to marry you on the deck I don't care" said Phil lighting a cigarette. _

_"Actually I'm the new deadliest catch assistant" said Victoria. _

_"The what?" asked Phil turning to face Victoria. _

_"The deadliest catch assistant, I've been hired to help handle promotion schedules and any other part of your brand while you are on the boat, like clothing sales and in your case coffee." explained Victoria. _

_"Who hired you?" asked Phil. _

_"Thom Beers asked for me and I was between positions at the time and I accepted" said Victoria. _

_"Cool, did you meet everyone?" asked Phil. _

_"She hasn't met Jake yet" said Josh. _

_"Well I'm sure he's going to love having a personal assistant" said Phil with a smile. "Don't just stand there go find your brother and bring him up so he can meet Vickie."_

_"Please don't call me that" said Victoria. "You can call me anything else but that."_

_"Ok, we'll think of a nickname for you before long" said Phil. _

_"I can't wait" said Victoria warily. "If you want my agent calls me Vicks." _

_"Vicks, that's a cute name. Why don't you like Vickie?" asked Phil. _

_"Because I use to be teased a lot, people calling me names that rhymed with Vickie" explained Victoria. _

_"I see." said Phil. _

_"I have your promotion schedule and my laptop if you want to show me your websites" said Victoria. _

_"You can't get internet on the boat" said Phil._

_"Wanna Bet?" said Victoria smugly. _

_"What are the stakes?" asked Phil suddenly intrigued._

_"How about dinner" said Victoria._

_"Deal, if I win you make dinner and if you win I'll take you to dinner." said Phil. Victoria shook his hand then extracted her laptop and pulled up her yahoo account. _

_"Well I guess I owe you dinner" said Phil with a smile. Victoria smiled brightly at Phil. "Don't rub it in Vicks." Jake appeared in the wheelhouse looking rather disgruntled. _

_"You wanted to see me." he said grumpily. _

_"Jake, I want you to meet Victoria, she's the new deadliest catch assistant" said Phil. Jake's eyes shot up to look at Victoria. _

_"Nice to meet you" said Victoria putting out her hand for Jake to shake. He slipped his hand out of his glove and shook her hand turning over her wrist to see her watch. _

_"Nice watch" he said._

_"Thanks, a gift from a former employer" said Victoria. _

_"Your hands are really soft" said Jake rubbing his thumb up and down Victoria's hand. _

_"Thank you" said Victoria with a smile. _

_"Jake, stop hitting on the assistant" said Phil. Jake pulled his hand from hers and walked back down the stairs. Victoria moved back to the bench seat and went over what Phil thought the Cornelia Marie needed to make the brand run smoother. Victoria scratched out notes in her notebooks while Phil surfed the web on her laptop. _

_"How far out does the internet work?" asked Phil. _

_"I don't know I've never tried to take it past the dock" said Victoria. _

_"We should test it out tomorrow before we head back to fish" said Phil. Victoria's eyes went wide, she had no desire to test how far the internet would work. "What's wrong Vicks, we'll bring you back." _

_"I've never really been on this kind of a boat or out in the bearing sea and I don't really have a desire experience it." said Victoria trying to keep her voice steady._

_"We'll only go out as far as the internet works, it may only work another 100 feet from here" said Phil soothingly. _

_"What if it keeps working and you take me all the way to Russia" said Victoria her voice taking on a slightly hysterical edge. _

_"We would not take you to Russia, we don't fish over there" said Phil. _

_"I'm not really interested in testing out how far the internet works" said Victoria. _

_"But your my assistant and I want to test it out" said Phil firmly. Victoria was shocked, she didn't think any of these guys would pull the command card already, but apparently she was wrong._

_"Fine, what time do you want me to be here" said Victoria her voice getting colder by the minute. _

_"Now Vicks, don't get your panties in a twist, if you're scared or something you don't have to go." said Phil._

_"I'm not scared, and I'll be here whenever you ask me to because I'm a professional." said Victoria. _

_"How about we talk about it over dinner" said Phil. _

_"Fine" said Victoria going back to her notes. _

_Later that night Phil and Victoria sat at a table in the restaurant at the Aleutian Hotel. The food was really delicious and Victoria was pleasantly surprised by the extensive wine list. Phil was a great dinner companion and the conversation was spirited and funny. _

_"Victoria, are you really that worried about going on the boat?" asked Phil._

_"I've never been in the bearing sea and when I took this job I was assured that I would be on dry land the entire time" said Victoria. _

_"You'd be perfectly safe, the internet will probably cut out before we leave the harbor and as soon as it does we will turn around" said Phil. _

_"If you want me to do it as your assistant then I will" said Victoria._

_"I don't want you to hate me for it, but I'm interested to see how far it will work" explained Phil. _

_"Fine, what time do you want me there tomorrow" said Victoria resignedly._

_"Why don't I pick you up around 7 tomorrow morning" suggested Phil._

_"That's fine. What do I need to bring?" asked Victoria._

_"Wear warm clothes, hat, gloves, jacket and boots" said Phil. "It's going to be cold out there so just be prepared."_

_"Aren't I going to be inside the wheelhouse with you?" asked Victoria suspiciously._

_"Yes, but just in case you want to go outside" said Phil with a smile. "We might see some whales or walrus, it's beautiful out there on the open sea."_

_"I thought I was staying in the harbor" said Victoria._

_"Why don't we get you another glass of wine. Don't worry about it, you are going to be just fine." said Phil. _

_Victoria did have another glass of wine and then she and Phil split a wonderful dessert. Walking up to her door she thanked Phil for the meal and assured him that she would be at the dock at 7 am. _

_Victoria stood on the dock the next morning at 6:45 am, she was wearing almost every warmish article of clothing she owned. Dave Millman assisted her on getting onto the deck. She was slightly more graceful this time and managed to stay on her feet. _

_"Are you warm enough" he asked._

_"I'm wearing everything warm I own right now" said Victoria._

_"Your nose is red" said Dave._

_"Well I don't own a nose warmer, I do have earmuffs in my bag though" replied Victoria._

_"Those will be helpful when we get further out" said Dave._

_"I don't plan on being out that far" said Victoria. "Hopefully not even out of the harbor."_

_"Lets go inside, Phil's probably up by now" said Dave. Victoria followed Dave up to the wheelhouse and smiled at Phil who was already smoking a cigarette and drinking a red bull. _

_"Victoria, you came, early" said Phil with a smile._

_"The sooner we get this over with the happier I will be" said Victoria moving to sit on the bench seat. _

_"Ding and Dong will be thrilled to see you" said Phil. "Speak of the devil here they come." That announced the arrival of Josh and Jake. They both tumbled up the stairs shoving each other like only siblings can. _

_"Victoria, are you ready to go fishing" said Jake._

_"I'm just going as far as the internet goes" said Victoria firmly. _

_"That could be all the way to the north pole" suggested Josh. Victoria blanched. _

_"Joshua and Jacob leave her alone. We will not be going to the north pole, Santa's on vacation anyway so there's no one to visit." said Phil._

_"Has a boat ever sunk in the harbor?" asked Victoria. _

_"This boat has sunk in the harbor before" said Jake laughingly. _

_"What?!" said Victoria looking as though she was going to bolt at any moment._

_"What are you talking about Jake?" said Phil. _

_"When you played the video game with Sig, you sunk the boat in this harbor" explained Jake._

_"Sig helped. And it was only a video game" said Phil. "Victoria are you going to need to take a sedative or something to get through this?" _

_"There is not a sedative strong enough" said Victoria. _

_"Well just to be on the safe side, lets show her what a survival suit is and explain what to do if she falls in the water" said Phil seriously. Victoria was given a quick explanation of the safety equipment on board and Jake showed her how to put on the survival suit then had her do it. She was ridiculously fast and Phil had no doubt that she'd be the first one in the suit even if there wasn't an emergency. Jake took her outside to show her where the life raft was and explained how to deploy it, if necessary. Victoria looked warily over the side of the boat, Phil had just called for the lines to be untied and the boat was starting to rock back and forth. _

_"Get inside Victoria" said Phil over the hailer. Victoria skidded over the deck trying to tamp down the overwhelming urge to try to swim back to the dock. Climbing into the wheelhouse she sat on the bench behind Phil watching as the boat pulled away from the dock. Leaning over she picked up the laptop and pulled up her email. After sending an email to Tony telling him that she was out on the Cornelia Marie and Thom owed her a really fancy vacation for this, she started to feel a little sick. Figuring it was just the reading she put down the lap top and looked out the window. The deck of the Cornelia Marie looked huge from her vantage point and she watched with interest as the guys on the crew hurriedly prepared for the long trip out to the fishing grounds. She smiled at Mouse the camera guy and he gave her a thumbs up. Phil was giving a commentary to the camera responding to some question that Mouse had asked. _

_"Is the internet still working?" asked Phil suddenly. Victoria looked down at the screen and refreshed the web page._

_"Yes" she said almost sadly. _

_"Good" said Phil. "How are you feeling?" _

_"Better when I'm not reading anything" said Victoria. "Well hopefully you won't end up like Mouse, he was sick all season last year, he must have threw up every single day we were at sea" said Phil with a smile. _

_"That sounds horrible" said Victoria. _

_"It was" replied Mouse. _

_"Why did you come back?" asked Victoria incredulously._

_"Because this is the most awesome job in the world" said Mouse enthusiastically. Victoria gave Mouse a look that clearly said he was insane. _

_"I've always wanted to do this ever since I saw the show the first time" Mouse continued. "Isn't that why you wanted to be their assistant?" _

_"I didn't even know who I was going to assist before I accepted the job" admitted Victoria._

_"People would kill for a chance to be on this boat with these guys" said Mouse vehemently. _

_"I'm very happy to have this job, although a little overwhelmed about being on this boat" said Victoria. _

_"Dad, send Victoria down here, there are seals" said Jake's voice over the hailer. _

_"Vicks, why don't you head down to look at them, take your camera" said Phil. Victoria nodded, grabbed her camera and headed downstairs. _

_Walking out on deck Victoria felt completely out of her element. Jake waved her over to the rail where he was holding a fish over the side. Walking slowly and methodically she made it to the side, she gripped the rail in a death grip and looked over the side. The seal was practically jumping out of the water to get the fish. Jake offered the fish to Victoria who shook her head and pulled out her camera. She continued to hold onto the railing with one hand and snapped a few pictures of the seal with the camera. Jake finally tossed the seal the fish. _

_"Cool huh" he said._

_"Very, I've never seen a seal in the wild before" said Victoria, slipping her camera into her pocket. _

_"You should have fed him. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity" said Jake. _

_"That's ok, it was nice to watch you do it" said Victoria. Victoria stayed outside for a little while listening to Jake explain the scenery. It was only when her teeth started chattering did Jake insist she go inside. Back inside the galley Dave gave her a mug of hot coffee which she accepted gratefully. Stripping off her gloves she gripped her mug with frozen fingers. Flexing her fingers again and again she attempted to unfreeze her hands. Freddie sat down next to her and grasped one of her hands in his, she massaged it until he could see the color return, then did the other one._

_"You need better gloves" he said. _

_"Sorry I didn't know what to expect, those are the warmest gloves I have. In fact those are the only gloves I have" said Victoria. _

_"Jake has small hands, maybe you can borrow some of his" suggested Freddie. _

_"Maybe I'll just stay inside. I'm sure Jake's hands are still bigger than mine" said Victoria. _

_"Vicks, come check the internet" yelled Phil's voice from the wheelhouse. With a sigh Victoria walked up the wheelhouse secretly praying that the satellite card wasn't working. _

_Josh was using her laptop when she walked into the wheelhouse. She walked over and glanced over his shoulder to see that the internet was indeed still working. Josh seemed to be checking his email and Victoria stepped back to give him some privacy. Sitting down in the portside chair she picked up the pack of cigarettes that were sitting on the armrest and lit one. _

_"I didn't know you smoked." said Phil. _

_"I do depending on who my boss is, if they ask me not to then I don't. But since everyone on this boat smokes like it's going out of style I figure no one would mind" explained Victoria. _

_"Smoke all you like" said Phil with a smile. An hour later Phil announced that they had officially left the harbor. Victoria anxiously checked the internet only to discover it was still working. She was starting to get nervous and a little more seasick. She was trying to remember what the guy said when she bought the satellite card for the computer. A sinking feeling overtook her when she remembered him saying it would work anywhere. She really hoped that was only a selling pitch and not the truth. Phil watched her out of the corner of her eye and then looked at Mouse. _

_"She's going to be sick" he mouthed to the camera. Mouse set the camera on the mount and quickly walked down the stairs returning a minute later with a bottle of water and a bowl. Victoria felt sick, she sat down heavily on the bench seat and was relieved when Mouse handed her a bottle of water. Taking a sip she could feel the water hit her stomach and then come right back up. Slamming her hand over her mouth she felt Mouse move her hand and lean her over the bowl. Victoria threw up some of the water. _

_"I need one of you to come up and get Victoria, she's not feeling good." said Phil over the hailer. The next thing he knew every member of his crew was in his wheelhouse. _

_"I only needed one of you" said Phil. Everyone just froze waiting for someone to step forward. "Jesus Christ, just take her already." Josh stepped forward and put his arm around Victoria helping her stand up and walk down the stairs. _

_Stepping outside onto the deck made her feel slightly better. She'd thrown up in the bowl on the stairs and in the galley. Josh sat her down in a folding chair and she proceeded to throw up everything else in her stomach. Freddie appeared with a hair tie and pulled Victoria's hair back into a pony tail. _

_"Thank you" said Victoria not lifting her head. Freddie took the bowl and dumped it over the side before rinsing it with the hose. Setting it back down in front of Victoria he sat down in the chair next to Josh. _

_"You should drink some water, it may make you feel better" said Freddie. Victoria took the bottle of water from Josh's outstretched hand and took a small sip. She waited a few minutes before carefully taking another sip. Victoria was relieved the water was staying down. _

_"Well if you think you are done with barfing I think it would be best if you lay down for a little while" said Josh. Victoria stepped into Jake and Josh's room, her nose wrinkled at the smell. _

_"It smells like dirty ass in here" she said with a frown._

_"Well, we ration water on the boat so we don't take a lot of showers, plus we work twenty hours at a time" explained Josh. "Just lay down I'm sure you will get use to the smell in no time." _

_"I doubt it. It's burning my nasal passages" said Victoria laying down on the bed. _

_"You must be feeling better because your razor sharp wit is making an appearance" said Josh. _

_"Can you check if the internet is still working? And if it's not please take me home" said Victoria closing her eyes. _

_"Sure" said Josh walking out of the room. Dave was in the hallway when Josh walked out. _

_"Dude, leave the door open just in case she needs something" said Dave. _

_"Good idea, although I think she's going to sleep for a while" said Josh. "You wanna check out some youtube videos?" Both guys walked up to the wheelhouse where they spent the next few hours playing with Victoria's computer. Victoria slept fitfully in Josh's bed until Jake came in to wake her up for dinner. _

_"Victoria, it's time for dinner" said Jake quietly stroking her hair. Victoria's eyes fluttered open and she frowned. _

_"Are we back at the harbor?" she asked tentatively._

_"No, the internet is still working" said Jake with a smile. "But on the upside it's time for dinner, do you want something to eat?"_

_"Not really, but I guess that I probably should" said Victoria. _

_As Victoria walked into the galley she was greeted by smiling faces and questions about her health. She assured everyone that she was feeling a little better. Sliding into a seat she ate a few bites of spaghetti and drank a little bit of juice. The rest of the meal she spent listening to all the guys talking while she checked her email. She couldn't believe that the internet was still working, according to Phil they couldn't even see land anymore. Josh took her outside to watch the sunset, the sea was a little rough and Victoria was nervous. _

_"Don't worry Victoria, I'll make sure that you stay safe" said Josh putting his arm around her. Victoria leaned into him enjoying the warmth. _

_"Josh, get her inside, there are some waves stacking up" said Phil over the hailer. Victoria moved slowly on the rocking deck and hadn't even made it half way to the door before she was knocked off her feet by a huge wave. Both she and Josh were soaked. Josh pulled her into the house helping her out of her wet coat before taking off his wet sweatshirt. Victoria had never been so cold in her life, she felt as if her bones were freezing inside her skin. Dave and Jake were there in an instant with towels._

_"We need to get her out of the wet clothes" said Dave. _

_"Lets get her in the shower" said Jake. The guys moved Victoria into the tiny bathroom where they unceremoniously stripped her naked and put her in the shower stall. Victoria stood under the spray letting the warm water defrost her. When she finally turned off the water she looked out of the shower to see Dave holding a towel open for her. She stepped out of the shower and into the waiting towel, it was warm from the dyer and felt wonderful. Wrapping the towel around herself she looked around for another towel for her hair. Dave pulled another one off the shelf and handed it to her. Victoria wrapped her hair up and followed Dave out of the bathroom and into Jake and Josh's room. She sat down on the bed looking mutinous. Jake was rummaging through his clothes trying to find something that was clean. Pulling out a pair of yellow Cornelia Marie sweats and a t-shirt he handed them to Victoria. She looked at him like he was crazy. _

_"The rest of your clothes are in the washer" said Jake. "So unless you want to wear that towel for the rest of the trip I suggest you put them on." Victoria stuck out her tongue at Jake then slipped the t-shirt over her head then put on the sweats which barely hung on her hips. She stood up quickly and walked out of the room, the sweats dangerously close to falling down. Jake watched her walk down the hallway admiring her spirit and her ass. _

_Phil smiled at Victoria as she walked into the wheelhouse. He turned up the heater and motioned for Victoria to sit down on the bench. Moving to sit next to her he put his arm around her. _

_"Are you ok?" Phil asked quietly._

_"I feel like I've been shanghaied" said Victoria with a frown. _

_"The internet is still going strong so I haven't gone back on our deal" said Phil. Victoria gave him a dirty look before putting her head on his shoulder. "Edgar radioed looking for you a little while ago, are you up to talking to him."_

_"Sure" said Victoria. _

_"Have a seat" said Phil motioning towards the captains chair. _

_"Um, I don't know if I failed to mention this, but I don't know how to drive a boat" said Victoria._

_"It's on auto pilot so don't worry it will drive itself" said Phil handing her the radio. Victoria just held the radio handset not knowing what to do with it. _

_"Push the button and say Northwestern this is Cornelia Marie" prompted Phil. _

_"Northwestern this is the Cornelia Marie" said Victoria. _

_"This is the Northwestern go ahead" said Sig. _

_"It's Victoria, returning Edgar's call."_

_"Just a second I'll get him" said Sig. _

_"Victoria, what did you send my wife?" asked Edgar._

_"French knickers and flowers" said Victoria. _

_"Well she loved them and says I'm getting very witty" said Edgar. _

_"I'm glad she liked them" said Victoria happily._

_"She was surprised I knew her favorite color" said Edgar. _

_"Well now you do, so try not to forget. I won't be your assistant forever" said Victoria._

_"Why not?" asked Edgar._

_"Because I think Phil's secretly trying to kill me, first through sea sickness, then drowning, and now through bad clothing" said Victoria jokingly. _

_"Well not until after Mother's Day" said Edgar. "Stay safe out there." _

_"Ok" said Victoria._

_"Don't say ok, say roger" said Edgar._

_"Fine, roger" said Victoria before handing back the radio to Phil. _

_"You know this chair is really uncomfortable" said Victoria moving around. _

_"It's broken in for my fat ass" said Phil. _

_"Ah, well that explains it" said Victoria getting up and moving back to the bench seat. Phil retook his seat in the big chair. Victoria got up again and leaned over to snag one of Phil's cigarettes. _

_"Don't take my lighter, they always disappear" said Phil grabbing her wrist. Victoria sighed and leaned over Phil to light the cigarette. Standing up she looked out the windows, the night was beautifully clear and the stars looked as if they were close enough to touch. Without realizing what she was doing she sat down on Phil's lap. Phil for his part moved his hands from his lap before she sat on them. Victoria leaned forward over the console looking out the windows trying to see as much of the sky as possible. Phil couldn't help but notice that her sweats had slipped down and were revealing a healthy portion of her ass. _

_"It's so beautiful" said Victoria. _

_"Yes it is" said Phil staring at her ass. Victoria made to stand up and felt Phil's hands wrap around her wrist. "You don't have to go." Victoria settled herself down onto his lap still staring out the window and smoking her cigarette. After a while Victoria's head became heavy and she laid it back on Phil's shoulder. Phil let her sleep on him until Josh came up for wheel watch. Phil struggled to stand up with Victoria in his arms, Josh finally picked her up and set her on the bench. _

_"I turned the boat back to Dutch" said Phil. _

_"She'll be happy to get on dry land" said Josh looking down at Victoria. "Where do you want her to sleep?"_

_"I'm sure she'll be fine in your bunk, since you're up here." said Phil._

_"Do you want me to carry her back down?" asked Josh. _

_"Yes" said Phil. _

_"Roger" said Josh picking up Victoria and carrying her down the stairs. He laid her in his bunk tucking her in and giving her a soft kiss on the forehead. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for reading and reviewing. I love reading all the feedback.

Jake woke up and glanced over at Josh's bunk, instead of seeing his brother's face he saw Victoria sleeping. Looking down her body he noticed that the shirt she was wearing had shifted up and the sweats had shifted down leaving a large expanse of stomach showing. Jake got up quietly and walked over to her bunk. He could smell that breakfast was cooking and thought he should wake Victoria up to see if she wanted to eat. Sitting down on the bunk next to her he rubbed her arm gently waiting for her to open her eyes. When that didn't work he slid his hand to her stomach ghosting his fingers over her skin. Victoria batted his hand away and rolled over showing Jake that the sweats were also slipping down her bottom. Jake rubbed her back a few times before slipping his hand over her exposed butt. Jake heard the door open and turned to see who'd walked into the room. Dave was standing in the doorway clearly staring at Jake's hand on Victoria's butt.

"I'm just waking her up for breakfast" explained Jake.

"Right. Well here are her clothes" said Dave a little louder than necessary. Victoria moved her hands over her ears in response to Dave's raised voice. Jake flipped Dave the bird and went back to rubbing Victoria's back.

"Victoria, it's breakfast time" he said softly. Victoria rolled onto her back and opened her eyes sleepily.

"Good Morning" she said quietly.

"Morning. How are you feeling?" asked Jake.

"Better, I guess." said Victoria sitting up slowly.

"Your clothes are here" said Jake pointing to the pile on the bed.

"Well that makes my morning slightly better" said Victoria picking up her underwear and bra. Jake didn't make any effort to move or avert his eyes. Victoria for her part didn't care, she was so excited to get back into clothes that fit that she stripped off her shirt and slipped on her bra and t-shirt without considering the show she'd be putting on for Jake. The pants she managed to take off under the blanket and slip on her underwear without Jake seeing her goodies. She stood up and slipped into her jeans pulling them on with a sigh of comfort. Skipping the rest of the layers she put on her socks then sat back down on the bed. Jake smiled charmingly at her before standing up and opening the door for her.

In the galley Phil was eating some sort of pancake sandwich and drinking a cup of coffee. Victoria slid in next to him glancing suspiciously at his plate.

"It's delicious" said Phil. "Wanna bite?" Not waiting for a response he speared part of his breakfast with the fork and fed it to Victoria. She chewed it and smiled. "Dave, I think she'd like one of her own."

"Coming up" said Dave from the stove. Freddie passed her a cup of coffee which Victoria accepted gratefully. Dave set a plate down in front of her, her pancake was shaped like Mickey Mouse with small sausage patties as eyes and scrambled eggs as the mouth. Victoria turned a beaming smile at Dave who blushed before quickly heading back to the stove.

"Now why didn't I get a Mickey Mouse pancake?" asked Phil. Dave just shrugged refusing to turn around from the stove. Victoria ate the ears off of Mickey first dipping them in syrup and eating them with her fingers. Phil watched her devour her breakfast with a smile, at least she was feeling better. He'd gone to sleep remembering her sitting in his lap and his dreams had been full of Victoria in various states of undress. Phil wasn't the only crew member watching her lick the syrup off her fingers, Jake looked like he wished he was a pancake.

"I have something to show you in the wheelhouse" said Phil pushing Victoria slightly to get her out of the seat. Leading her upstairs he pointed to the plotter, she stared at it blankly then leaned forward to look more closely.

"I'm sorry but I don't know what I'm suppose to be looking at" said Victoria.

"That is Dutch Harbor" said Phil pointing to a speck on the far side of the monitor. "We should be there before nightfall." Victoria turned around jumped into Phil's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and peppering his face with kisses. "I'm glad your happy" said Phil sitting in his chair. Victoria sat facing him in his lap.

"I am, thank you so much" said Victoria giving Phil a kiss on the lips. Phil was surprised by her kiss and when she pulled back he was completely unable to keep the sappy smile off of his face.

"Sorry, that was pretty inappropriate" said Victoria blushing slightly.

"You can kiss me anytime you want" said Phil with a smile.

"I'll remember that" said Victoria climbing off of Phil's lap. Sitting down on the bench seat Victoria pulled up her computer and checked her email. She spent the next hour or so responding to various emails while Phil drove the boat and smoked. Victoria set the laptop down and laid down on the seat, she was asleep within minutes. Josh and Jake walked into the wheelhouse, Phil held his finger to his lips and pointed to Victoria.

"I think she suffers from boat narcolepsy" whispered Josh.

"She's probably tired from all the throwing up she did yesterday" said Jake. Josh moved over to the bench and sat down next to her head stroking her hair out of her face. Victoria smiled in her sleep and Josh smiled back down at her. Phil watched the interaction between his son and Victoria and suddenly felt very old.

"Do you want me to take her back downstairs?" asked Josh.

"No, I think she's fine where she is" said Phil. Both guys just shrugged and headed back downstairs. Victoria woke up a few hours later, sitting up and stretching she looked out the windows and saw a tiny speck of land in the distance.

"Is that Dutch Harbor?" she asked excitedly.

"No, those are the outer islands" said Phil. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes, it was very peaceful" said Victoria.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly and before Victoria knew it the boat was back at Dutch. Phil drove her back to the hotel, walking through the lobby he stopped.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked.

"No, all I really want to do is take a shower" said Victoria.

"Ok, well lets get you to your room" said Phil taking her hand. Arriving at her room Victoria invited Phi in and started a pot of coffee.

"Excuse me for a second" said Victoria walking into the bathroom. Phil helped himself to a cup of coffee and turned on the TV. Phil was still flipping through the channels when Victoria emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam. Wrapped in a towel she walked to the closet where she quickly found a pair of pajamas. Looking over her shoulder she saw that Phil was absorbed in watching TV so she quickly pulled the t-shirt over her head dropping the towel in the process. Pulling on her underwear and pants she picked up the towel and returned it to the bathroom. Phil had watched her change out of the corner of his eye, he found himself trying to hide his smile and his burgeoning erection. Victoria walked back into the room and crawled into the bed next to Phil.

"Whatcha watching?" asked Victoria.

"Just flipping through the channels" said Phil.

"Hey, that's your show" said Victoria putting her hand on top of Phil's. "I haven't seen this episode."

"You didn't watch all our episodes before you came up here?" asked Phil in mock disgust.

"I got a few seasons of the show and watched what they gave me the day before I flew up here" said Victoria hotly.

"Seems like this job was kind of a last minute thing" said Phil.

"Well, I suppose it was. I was kind of sulking after loosing my last job so I went MIA for a while" said Victoria.

"Why were you sulking?" asked Phil.

"Because I'd worked for the guy for a long time and he marries his stylist and she fires the whole staff because we knew she use to be the stylist. I was friends with her and she made him get rid of me" said Victoria glumly.

"Who's your old boss?" asked Phil, he was intrigued.

"I can't say, I signed a confidentiality agreement" said Victoria.

"You really won't tell me?" said Phil.

"Nope, I take promises seriously" said Victoria. Turning back to the TV they both got immersed in the show.

"Why aren't you on the boat in this episode?" asked Victoria.

"I was sick a few seasons ago" said Phil.

"I think I read about that, a blood clot problem" said Victoria.

"Yep, I still take medicine everyday for it. I was pretty lucky" said Phil.

"Who treated you when you were on the boat?" asked Victoria.

"No one, I didn't know what it was. I thought it was broken ribs. In fact I didn't even want to go in, I wanted to keep fishing" admitted Phil.

"That's insane. You could have died in your chair" said Victoria aghast.

"But I didn't and I'm now taking much better care of myself" said Phil.

"Did you doctor prescribe cigarettes and red bull for breakfast?" asked Victoria snottily.

"As a matter of fact I've cut way back on the smoking" said Phil proudly.

"I suppose that's a step in the right direction" admitted Victoria. "Why don't you have a nurse on the boat or hire a guy who's an EMT or something."

"As a general rule girls are usually a distraction on a boat and I'm sure most EMT's probably don't want to be fishermen" said Phil.

"There are a lot of guy nurses, you could hire one of them" said Victoria. Phil just gave her a look that clearly said the topic was closed. Victoria just smiled and turned back to the TV. The scene on screen showed Phil injecting himself in the stomach.

"Just seeing that makes my stomach hurt, I can't believe you had to do that to yourself" said Victoria.

"It was pretty painful" said Phil. The rest of the episode passed without comment. The next show came on and Victoria pulled her legs to her chest and leaned her head on Phil's shoulder. Phil laid his head on hers in response, neither moved until Phil's phone rang. Victoria sat up as Phil dug into his pocket to retrieve the mood killing cell phone.

"What" he said.

"Are you planning on coming back to the boat tonight or can we go to the bar?" asked Jake.

"You guys can go to the bar, but don't stay too long, I don't want everyone puking their guts out on the way back to the grounds" said Phil.

"Roger" said Jake before he hung up.

"Do you have to go?" asked Victoria.

"Not yet" said Phil.

"We should order room service" said Victoria rummaging through the bedside table and extracting a menu. Phil smiled at her enthusiasm. "Ok, what do you they have?" he said leaning over to look at the menu. Phil barely saw the writing on the pages because he was distracted by Victoria's cleavage. The tank top she was wearing gaped and he could see her expanse of milky flesh. Victoria picked up the phone and ordered a few things off the menu before turning to Phil expectantly.

"Have them send up some beer" said Phil. Victoria finished placing the order then hung up the phone.

The food arrived half an hour later and Phil and Victoria descended on it like survivor contestants. As their hunger subsided they started to take breaths between bites and even managed to have brief snippets of conversations. Opening a beer Phil handed it to Victoria.

"Thanks" she said taking a sip.

"It's always nice to see a girl who doesn't turn her nose up at beer" said Phil.

"Alaskan Amber is a delicious beer" said Victoria with a smile.

"I agree" said Phil taking another sip of the beer. "Are you going to stay up here for the entire Opie season?"

"I don't know, originally I was just suppose to get to know all the crews and find out what sort of stuff needed to be worked on, but the job is already evolving so it's hard to say" said Victoria.

"Usually we offload up at St. Paul island, but this year the processors have all moved down here because of the ice pack. I think you should stay here so we can see you when we come in to offload" said Phil with a smile.

"I guess I'll just wait and see how everything plays out" said Victoria easily.

"That's a pretty laid back attitude for someone who makes a ridiculous amount of lists" said Phil glancing at her pile of notebooks.

"A person can be organized and easy going at the same time" said Victoria.

"Not in my experience" said Phil. "I think you are an exception." Victoria just shrugged before picking up a cookie from the tray and popping it into her mouth.

"Sometimes being the exception is a good thing, it sets me apart from everyone else" said Victoria.

"So what sort of special skills do you have that make you a great assistant?" asked Phil.

"Well I'm really good at buying gifts, in fact that is always on my letters of recommendations. I'm really organized and discreet. I've been to culinary school, so I'm a good cook. I can give a nice massage" listed Victoria.

"A massage, that sounds like an interesting skill for an assistant" said Phil.

"I'm sure it's one of my major selling points. When I worked for Thom, his wife loved it when I'd rub her neck after a hard day at work" said Victoria.

"Will you give me a neck massage?" asked Phil.

"Sure" said Victoria scrambling up on the bed. She moved behind Phil pushing him down so he was leaning against her. Her legs were wrapped around his waist resting against his outer thighs. Victoria's hands moved to Phil's neck massaging gently. Phil didn't know what felt better her breasts crushed against his back, legs wrapped around his waist or the actual massage, either way he was in heaven. Victoria increased the pressure causing Phil to moan and close his eyes. Moving her hands she raked them through his hair and began to massage his scalp.

"Oh Victoria that feels so good" moaned Phil.

"I'm glad you like it" said Victoria her voice surprisingly husky. Phil leaned his head back until it was resting on Victoria's shoulder, his eyes were closed and his face had a look of bliss on it. Victoria leaned over and kissed his cheek. Phil's eyes opened and he looked into Victoria's smiling face, he really wanted to kiss her.

"You said I could kiss you whenever I wanted to" said Victoria.

"I know, and I love it when you do" said Phil. Victoria's smile got bigger and she kissed him on the cheek again. Phil sat up slightly turning to face Victoria. Leaning forward he pressed his lips to hers, Victoria eyes widened in shock. Phil pulled back and looked into her shocked face.

"I think it's unfair that you get to kiss me and I can't kiss you" said Phil petulantly. Victoria's cheeks were stained pink and she dropped her eyes to her hands.

"You can kiss me, it was just unexpected" she said quietly. Phil leaned forward again and sealed his lips to hers, this time Victoria closed her eyes at the contact. Pulling back after a chaste kiss Phil noticed that Victoria's cheeks were even redder and she wouldn't meet his eyes. Tilting up her head Victoria looked at Phil, he looked disappointed. Leaning forward she kissed his lips tenderly before parting her lips and deepening the kiss. Her mind was screaming to stop but she didn't listen. Pulling back she smiled at Phil then got out of bed. Phil took the hint and stood up to put on his coat.

"Thanks for a nice evening Victoria" said Phil giving her a hug.

"Thanks for bringing me back, I'm really a much better assistant when I'm on dry land" said Victoria.

"You are a great assistant wherever you are" said Phil. Victoria smiled and opened the door for Phil, she watched him walk down the hall until he disappeared around the corner. Closing the door she sunk to the floor placing her head in her hands, she felt horrible about kissing him. It was completely inappropriate, unprofessional and would only lead to complications. Finally pulling herself off the floor she walked over to the bed and laid down.

The sound of the phone woke Victoria up a few hours later. Looking down at the caller ID she saw that a fellow assistant was calling her.

"Hi Macy" she said.

"Vicks, where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you around and you missed Michele's party" said Macy.

"I'm working" said Victoria.

"Where, the north pole?" said Macy.

"Close, Alaska" said Victoria.

"What?! Why is Mr. X in Alaska?" asked Macy.

"I got fired from Mr. X, I'm working for some new people" said Victoria.

"Explain" said Macy.

"Alright, so Thom called Tony and asked for me specifically, he called in a favor. So I get a call from Tony telling me that he has a temporary job for me helping a group of guys with a promotional tour and it will involve travel and I should do it and stop moping around the house. So I accepted and now I'm basically a personal assistant to the main boats of the Deadliest Catch." explained Victoria.

"You must have owed him one hell of a favor" said Macy.

"Yeah well, I can't even imagine what the favor was but I'm getting well paid and it's not as bad as I thought. I'm in a nice hotel, well the only hotel up here but it's nice" said Victoria.

"The only hotel? Where exactly are you?" asked Macy.

"Dutch Harbor, Unalaska" said Victoria. "Look it up on google earth if you want."

"Right now I'm looking up the guys you are working for. Some are little hotties." said Macy. "Maybe I should come visit you, lend a little moral support."

"If you do, dress warm. I have every single warm thing I own and even if I were to put all of it on at once it doesn't keep me from shivering" said Victoria.

"Why would you be going outside?" asked Macy.

"Well one of the captains wanted to see how far my satellite internet card worked so I went out on one of the boats to test it. Turns out I didn't last as long as the internet and they brought me back to shore" said Victoria.

"You are insane Vicks, you could die out there. The sooner you finish with this job the better, you don't belong in the rough and tumble world of Alaska. You belong here with me going to dinner and talking trash about our employers." said Macy.

"It's not too bad, all the guys are really nice and I suppose I'll get use to the cold eventually" said Victoria.

"I should visit you, it's clear you are being brainwashed. You hate it when you get cold in the freezer section of Bristol Farms and you say you're going to get use to the cold. Definitely brainwashed." said Macy.

"Well this conversation is staring to go south, so I'm going to go back to bed" said Victoria.

"Bed, it's note even 2 yet" said Macy. "We've got to get you out of there. I'm sure that Meredith could use another assistant, I'll ask her tomorrow. I'd be your superior but I wouldn't lord it over you too much and at least you wouldn't be in Alaska."

"No thanks, I'll just stick it out up here. The promotional tour ends fourth of July and I probably won't be up here that much longer. I'll call you when I get back" finished Victoria.

"You better" said Macy. Hanging up the phone Victoria dropped back onto the bed. Her mind was a twist of thoughts. Why was she up here? If she thought about it she could easily do this job from LA, yet she was hesitant to suggest it. The separation from LA was nice, instead of having to meet Macy face to face she just had to hear her on the phone, she wasn't likely to run into anyone she knew up here, she was blissfully cut off from her old life. Finally closing her eyes she fell asleep wondering what the next day would bring.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm thrilled that so many of you like this story. This chapter contains cursing so please consider yourself warned. Continue to read and review if so inclined.

Victoria was rudely awakened by Mark pounding on her hotel room door. She groggily opened the door still wearing her pajamas.

"Must be nice to be able to sleep in, I've been up for hours" said Mark importantly.

"Do you want a cookie?" asked Victoria. Mark just sneered at her before pushing past her into the room.

"The wizard is offloading at Akutan Island and my helicopter is going over to take some aerial shots and drop off some film for the crew, so if you aren't too busy painting your toenails today you can tag along and meet the crew" said Mark.

"Just give me a few minutes to get dressed" said Victoria already pulling some clothes out of her suitcase.

"Fine, but make it quick I want to eat breakfast" said Mark.

"Why don't I just meet you downstairs" suggested Victoria.

"No, I'll wait for you. I'm going to eat and debrief you on helicopter safety" said Mark flipping on the TV .

"I've ridden in a helicopter before, so it's probably not necessary" said Victoria.

"Just hurry up, you're going to breakfast with me, period" said Mark his tone almost angry.

"Roger" said Victoria with a smirk and disappeared into the bathroom. She emerged less than five minutes later, grabbed her bag and announced she was ready to go.

"Well aren't you a quick little bunny" said Mark. They both walked down to the restaurant and sat down at a table with a few of the line producers and the helicopter pilot.

"Hi, I'm Victoria" she said shaking hands with everyone. Receiving hello's back and a few recommendations on what to stay away from on the menu she ordered a light breakfast and coffee.

"So Victoria, how was the Cornelia Marie?" asked one of the female line producers.

"It was nauseating for the most part, but the guys were all very nice, especially Mouse. I guess he had the same problem last year" said Victoria.

"You are very lucky, I'm surprised they even let you on the boat" said Mark. "Women are notoriously bad luck on boats."

"Is that why you aren't on one?" asked Victoria innocently.

"Very funny. I don't even know why your up here, running from the law or something" quipped Mark.

"It's a job and I'm thankful to have it, I won't be up here forever and I'll be out of your hair before you know it" said Victoria evenly.

"The sooner you are the better" said Mark, abruptly leaving the table.

"What an ass" said Victoria to herself.

"He certainly is" said the helicopter pilot. "If you're ready we can head out."

"Sounds good" said Victoria.

Sitting in the helicopter flying over the ocean was beautiful, Victoria snapped some pictures and enjoyed Troy's narration about the scenery. They flew for a little less than an hour before they touched down on a helicopter pad, just outside the harbor. Troy walked Victoria down to the cannery and introduced her to Keith before heading back to do the aerial shots. Keith walked Victoria to the Wizard helping her down onto the deck. The offload was in full swing and Keith steered her away from the open crab tanks and into the house.

"You can meet the guys later, they need to concentrate on getting the weights" said Keith walking up to the wheelhouse.

"Well I'm going to be your personal assistant for the promotional tour, I have the tour dates for you if you want them now or I can give them to you later. I can also help with any other business issues that you need taken care of while you are on the boat. And because I know that you are dying to know, I'm up here at the request of Thom Beers who I use to be an assistant to." said Victoria.

"Cool. My wife handles the business side of this operation so I don't really have a need for any assistance, although I'm sure I'll appreciate your being there on the actual promo tour" said Keith.

"You must have a very organized and generous wife" said Victoria with a smile.

"I do" said Keith.

"If you like I can send her a gift for Valentine's day, it's coming up in a little over a week" said Victoria.

"You do that?" asked Keith.

"It's my specialty" said Victoria.

"In that case, I would love you to send a gift to my wife" said Keith.

"Does anyone else on the crew have a wife that is in need of a Valentine's gift?" asked Victoria.

"I'm sure Mouse would like you to send one to his wife too" said Keith.

"You have a mouse on this boat too?" asked Victoria.

"Yep, it's my brother Monty's nickname" explained Keith.

"Oh, Phil calls one of the camera guys on his boat mouse" said Victoria. "Well everyone in this fleet has a nickname" said Keith.

"It seems that way" said Victoria. "I need to get your address and what you'd like to get your wife if you have something in mind or if you don't maybe something she likes or a favorite color." Victoria spent the afternoon meeting the guys on the crew and had lunch with them. The Wizard finished their offload around 5 pm and was preparing to leave when Troy walked up to the dock.

"I've just come to collect my precious cargo" he announced to Crosby.

"She's been learning how to coil line" he said pointing to where Victoria was standing with Travis.

"Really? You think she'd make a good crabber?" asked Troy.

"Maybe, she hasn't complained once the whole time we've been here, that's worth a lot" said Crosby before walking over to get Victoria. She slipped inside to grab her bag and say goodbye to the rest of the crew.

Walking back to the helicopter Troy explained that he needed to take a few more shots of the Wizard pulling out of port. Victoria climbed into her seat and put on the earphones.

"Seems like you made a pretty good impression on the guys" said Troy.

"What makes you say that?" asked Victoria.

"Because everyone said bye to you and shook your hand, they usually wait until after the season to do that kind of thing" explained Troy.

"Well I doubt they will see me for the rest of the season, Keith and his wife have everything well in hand" said Victoria.

"That's good for you, I'm sure the other boats will be running you ragged before you leave Dutch" said Troy.

"Probably, so far they've been pretty nice. I'm sure once they get use to the idea that someone is there to do their every request they will start asking for more stuff. Although I suppose there isn't really much I can do from the hotel. It's not like they can ask me to make them dinner when they are on a boat and I'm not" said Victoria.

"I hope your right. At least Mark hasn't tried to make you his personal assistant." said Troy.

"He would find himself in a world of hurt if he tried" said Victoria with a wicked smirk.

"I'm inclined to believe you" said Troy. Flying over the Wizard was a harrowing experience, the winds were picking up a bit and the helicopter had to drop close to the water to get the shot he wanted. Victoria was very happy to touch down at the Dutch Harbor airport. She and Troy drove back to the hotel and both walked into the bar to have a drink.

"To a successful day for both of us" said Troy.

"Cheers" said Victoria. They both had a few drinks then retired to their respective rooms.

The rest of the week was spent working on the Northwestern and Time Bandit websites. She had some information for both crews regarding their clothing sales and some ideas the manufacturers had about different styles they now had. She even swallowed her pride and asked Mark to let her know when the crews got into to town or if Troy was meeting them anywhere. Mark responded to her query by insisting she had dinner with him, during which he continually tried to ply her with drinks and tried different pathetic pick up lines on her. He clearly thought he was the shit, but to Victoria he was just shit. She politely made it through dinner without stabbing him in the eye with her fork, but it was close. The next morning Mark called her room sounding hung over to tell her that the Time Bandit was in town. Layering up her clothes she walked out to catch a ride to the docks. It was snowing and as she walked down the docks she could feel her hair freezing.

"Victoria!" yelled Jonathon as soon as he spotted her.

"Hi Jon" said Victoria.

"How's everything going?" asked Jonathon.

"Good, I have some information about your clothing line" said Victoria.

"Well lets go inside and take a look. Did you know your hair is frozen?" he said.

"I did happen to notice, does it look really bad?" asked Victoria.

"It looks pretty frozen in a very pretty way" said Jonathon with a smile. Victoria managed to scramble on the deck with a little more grace than last time and stripped off her outer coat once she got inside. Jonathon was hanging it up on the peg by the door when Andy walked in.

"Nice coat bro is it new?" asked Andy with a smirk.

"Yes, it's just my size" said Jonathon.

"Hey Andy" called Victoria from the galley.

"You didn't tell me our assistant was here" said Andy in mock horror.

"She just arrived, do you have your list of demands?" asked Jonathon. Both Andy and Jonathon slid into the galley on either side of Victoria. Her laptop was already open and their new website content was on display. The guys read through some of their online fan letters before looking over the new clothing options the manufacturer sent. Jonathon really liked the Time Bandit thongs, while Andy thought the new women's shirts were a definite winner. Victoria made notes on what they liked and disliked so she could send the specs to the manufacturer.

"Andy, I wanted to offer to send your wife a gift for Valentine's day" said Victoria.

"That's great, I always miss it because we are out fishing every single year" said Andy. "Can you do it for Scotty and Mike too?"

"Sure, for whoever needs it" said Victoria with a smile.

"What will you do for me?" asked Mike walking into the room.

"Send your wife a Valentine's gift" said Victoria.

"Can you send her something pornographic?" asked Mike with a devious smile.

"If you want me to, what did you have in mind?" asked Victoria warily.

"Something to keep her company when I'm not home" said Mike.

"Ok, I have something in mind. What's her favorite color?" asked Victoria.

"Pink, she's very girly" said Mike. Victoria scribbled down a quick note and then turned to Scotty.

"What do you want to get your wife?" she asked.

"Something romantic and something that says thank you for raising our son" said Scotty.

"I know the perfect gift" said Victoria, quickly jotting down her idea in the notebook.

"How are we suppose to pay you for this stuff?" asked Scotty.

"You don't have to, I have the Deadliest Catch credit card, they will take the gifts out of your paycheck" explained Victoria.

"You know more about out deal then we do" said Jonathon.

"Probably, it's an assistants job to know everything" said Victoria.

"Dinner off the boat tonight" announced Jonathon. Victoria watched as every single guy on the boat jumped to change and before she knew it they were back at the hotel eating in the dinning room.

Dinner was chaos but it allowed Victoria to get to know the guys a lot better. They started a mini food fight at the table, they drank beer through straws on a dare and they were currently trying to suck the cream out of the creampuffs without using their hands.

"Come on Victoria, I know you can suck better than all of us" said Andy.

"Oh, I don't know, you've probably had more practice than I have" said Victoria before deftly dodging the creampuff.

"Don't make an enemy of me, I'm devious" said Andy.

"I'll keep that in mind" said Victoria. The guys finished eating and when everyone stood up from the table it looked like half the food from the plates had ended up on the floor. Jonathon left a huge tip to make up for the mess. Victoria said goodbye to the guys and headed back up to her room. After checking her email and sending a few text messages she took a bath and went to bed.

Victoria thought she heard the sound of a door open but she didn't bother to open her eyes, she was having a wonderful dream and didn't want to loose it. Her eyes shot open and she started to scream when she felt the bed shift. An hand shot over her mouth muffling the scream.

"Don't scream, it's Edgar. The manager is in the hallway, he let us in so we could surprise you" said Edgar. Victoria was still screaming into Edgar's hand and didn't seem like she was going to stop soon.

"I think she's just going to keep screaming, lets turn on the lights so she can see it's really us" said Norman. The lights flickered on and Victoria shut her eyes against the sudden light. When she reopened them she turned her head and saw Edgar sitting beside her, next she saw Norman standing next to the light switch and finally Matt standing at the foot of the bed.

"If you promise to play nice, I'll let go of your mouth" said Edgar. But before he could move his hand Victoria bit him.

"Holy Shit, she fucking bit me" he yelped holding his hand.

"You fucking deserve it, you scared the crap out of me, you jerks" said Victoria. "Why are you here?"

"Because we came in for an offload and wanted to say hi" explained Edgar with a smile.

"It's 3 am, why did you need to say hi in the middle of the night?" asked Victoria.

"We were up and in the neighborhood" said Norman sitting down on the bed next to her.

"You are all insane, I want to go back to sleep" said Victoria burrowing under the blankets.

"Come on princess, we want to see you" said Edgar moving under the blankets.

"You all smell" said Victoria.

"We've been working, plus I don't think Matt's changed his underwear since Seattle" said Edgar.

"Disgusting" said Victoria. Matt ripped the blankets off the bed uncovering Victoria and Edgar before hopping into the bed and giving Victoria a tight hug.

"I missed you Victoria" said Matt giving her a scratchy kiss on the cheek.

"Well, the feeling is not mutual" said Victoria struggling to get out of Matt's hold.

"Now, you've hurt his feelings" said Norman. "You are going to have to pay for that." Without giving her a chance to react Norman grabbed Victoria's legs while Matt held her arms, Edgar started to tickle her.

"Oh my god, you guys are going to kill me" yelled Victoria as she writhed on the bed. After a few minutes she went complete still and the guys slowly came to stop.

"Victoria? Oh my God we killed her" said Edgar. Matt checked her pulse and leaned down to see if she was breathing.

"She's still alive, she has a pulse and she's breathing" announced Matt.

"Maybe she has a medical condition or something" suggested Norman.

"Well she should have told us" said Edgar.

"Victoria, jokes over, say something" said Matt shaking her a little.

"Edgar, if she dies I'm going to say it was your fault" said Norman.

"What?! We're brothers, we should stick together and blame Matt" said Edgar.

"You guys are a bunch of fuckers" said Matt. "I think she's pretending, so we'll leave."

"You think so, well her plan won't work since we will wait until she's ok before we leave" said Edgar the last bit was said right next to her ear.

"I think we should try tickling again" said Norman laying his hand on her abdomen. That was all it took and Victoria was up and diving off the bed in a futile attempt to get to the bathroom. Edgar caught her before she made if off the bed and was holding her in a bear hug.

"Nice try" he said.

"Put me down" said Victoria as she struggled.

"Playing dead is not a very friendly game" said Edgar.

"Neither is tickling someone to death" spat Victoria.

"Fine, I think we can agree never to play those two games again" said Norman diplomatically.

"I agree. Victoria?" said Edgar squeezing her a little tighter.

"Agreed" said Victoria. Edgar set her down on the bed and backed away. Victoria sat petulantly on the bed, her hair was a mess and her camisole top was hanging off her shoulder. Norman leaned over and fixed the strap. Victoria turned to glare at him, Edgar and Matt in turn.

"Where's Sig, Nick and Jake?" she asked frostily.

"On the boat, working on the offload" said Matt.

"Shouldn't you be there with them?" asked Victoria.

"Yes, but we were sent to pick you up" said Edgar. Victoria's face scrunched up into a confused expression, she glanced at Norman who just nodded.

"Why would you want me there?" she asked.

"Because you're our assistant and we need assisting" explained Edgar as if Victoria was a 2 year old.

"You could have just called" said Victoria.

"Where would have been the fun in that. If we called we wouldn't have been able to see you in your pajamas" said Edgar. Victoria stuck her tongue out at him, getting out of bed she walked to the closet and pulled some clothes out of her suitcase. Walking into the bathroom she got dressed for the day. She walked out a few minutes later dressed but still wearing an angry frown. Pulling on her shoes and socks she grabbed her bag and all but shouted that she was ready.

Victoria and the guys arrived at the dock 30 minutes later and as she walked towards the boat she realized that she was freezing. Even though she was wearing her usual amount of clothes she couldn't stop herself from shivering. Edgar called to they guys on deck announcing Victoria's arrival. Jake helped her hop down to the deck before leading her over to where Sig was standing.

"Morning sunshine" he said. Victoria didn't say anything, she couldn't open her mouth without her teeth chattering.

"Are you cold?" Sig asked. Victoria nodded.

"Edgar, take her inside and get her something warmer to wear, she's shivering" barked Sig. Edgar appeared next to her and pulled her inside. He didn't stop long enough for her to take off her coat, merely pulled her into his stateroom. Victoria looked around the tiny room noticing that it only had 2 bunks in it.

"Norman and I share this room" said Edgar.

"It's very cozy" remarked Victoria sitting down on the nearest bunk. Edgar was pulling clothes out of a duffle bag tossing a few selections onto the bed. Victoria looked down at the clothes and smiled to herself, every single thing he pulled out had the Northwestern logo on it. He finally stopped and turned around checking out the pile of clothes he managed to throw onto the bed. Walking towards them he pulled out a sweatshirt and handed it to Victoria. Standing up she slipped it over her head then looked at Edgar.

"It's a little big" he said with a smile.

"It's huge, got anything smaller?" asked Victoria.

"Probably not" said Edgar.

"Well at least it's clean" said Victoria with a small smile.

"That's the spirit" said Edgar. "Come on Sig wants us back on deck." The duo emerged on deck and Victoria walked carefully over to where Sig was standing.

"Nice sweatshirt" said Sig tugging the hood over her hair.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"How's the website doing?" asked Sig never taking his eyes off the brailer scale.

"It's doing really well. I've been going through the inbox and answering some of the fan questions. I also updated a link from your website to the Helly Hansen site. I also looked at a few different options for clothing, like expanding the kids line or adding some more women's styles, I have some drawings of the ideas to show you" said Victoria.

"Sounds like you've been a busy little beaver" said Sig.

"Well it's not like I'm spending all my days going to the mall. I have plenty of time to get my work done" said Victoria.

"When will you be going back to LA? Or are you going stick it out and stay up here until the end of Opies?" asked Sig.

"I'm not really sure when I'm going back. It wasn't really explained to me when I took the job, although looking back that should have been the first thing I asked" said Victoria.

"Will you be going with us to all our appearances?" asked Sig.

"I think so, the way everything is scheduled I should be able to be there at everyone's personal appearances, the only overlap are the times when you are all together" explained Victoria.

"Sounds like you will be in for a very busy couple of months" said Sig. "I hope you like flying."

"I do like flying, a chance to listen to my ipod and read gossip magazines" said Victoria.

"I'm sure you're anxious to get home to all your friends" said Sig.

"I guess. I'm more anxious to be safe from unexpected wake up calls and freezing temperatures" said Victoria. The offload continued well past dawn and Victoria stayed outside talking to Sig until he noticed her lips turning blue.

Jake and Victoria sat in the wheelhouse watching the offload on the monitor. Sig had sent both of them inside to warm up and after grabbing coffee they headed up to the wheelhouse to sit in front of the heater. Victoria finished her coffee then snagged a cigarette out of the pack on the console.

"Stealing Sig's smokes is a dangerous move" said Jake.

"Well, don't tell him" said Victoria lighting the cigarette.

"My lips are sealed" said Jake. "Are you getting any warmer?"

"I guess I'm warmer than I was outside, but I still feel cold" said Victoria.

"Yeah, I don't think I ever really thaw out until I'm back home" said Jake.

"Hopefully I'll be defrosting soon" said Victoria.

"It's too bad you are leaving, it's nice to have someone to see when we come into port" said Jake.

"There are always the line producers" said Victoria. "Besides I'm sure you will all get sick of seeing me during the promo tour."

"I'll only see you for part of it" said Jake sadly. "That's too bad, you are a cool guy to hang out with. I'm sure you have a girlfriend at home who really misses you" said Victoria.

"No girlfriend" said Jake quickly. "Being away from home for so long isn't really conducive to a relationship."

"I could see that, although a lot of people seem to be married" said Victoria.

"It takes a special woman to marry a fisherman, just ask Edgar or Sig" said Jake. Victoria just nodded and they both lapsed into silence. When the unload was finished everyone came up to the wheelhouse, Victoria was still sitting in Sig's chair.

"Looks like the little princess is getting comfy in the big bad wolf's chair" said Edgar.

"Who's in my chair?" yelled Sig from the galley.

"Victoria is in your chair getting her girly smell all over it" yelled back Edgar. Victoria flipped him off then stood up.

"Well if she wants to sit in the chair she can, as long as she's sitting in my lap" said Sig walking up behind Edgar.

"I'm out of your chair, so no lap sitting necessary" said Victoria. Edgar pulled her over then picked her up and set her on the chart table.

"Edgar, that is not a seat" said Sig.

"Sig, don't worry about it she's tiny, her butt's not even touching the maps" said Edgar.

"So now that we are all up here, I was wondering if Victoria had any announcements" said Sig.

"I do actually. I'm offering to order your spouses and significant others gifts for Valentine's day" said Victoria.

"That's awesome, I always forget Valentine's day when we are out fishing" said Nick.

"So all I need is a little bit of information about your wives and then I'll pick out the gift and make sure it arrives on or before Valentine's day" explained Victoria. She spent the next few hours talking to the guys about their wives and by the time each was done with their description she knew exactly what to get the loves of their lives.

Sitting inside the bar with the guys Victoria finally felt like she was thawing out, she figured it was probably because she was sipping her 4th crown and coke and was really feeling nothing. Jake was sitting next to her talking about something but she wasn't paying attention, she just hoped she was nodding at the appropriate times. Edgar was sitting on the other side of her occasionally adding to the conversation, but more often just giving Jake a hard time.

"I definitely think she should go fishing with us, it'll give her a taste of what really goes into being a crab fisherman. It's hard to be an assistant to someone when you don't really know what that person really does" said Edgar. Victoria just nodded.

"I think she just agreed" said Jake laughing.

"Sure, whatever you guys want" said Victoria distractedly.

"Victoria, are you even listening?" asked Nick.

"Of course I'm listening, a good assistant always listens" said Victoria.

"Well, that is going to come back and bite you in the ass" said Nick.

"What? Why?" asked Victoria suddenly aware of her surroundings.

"Because you just agreed to go on the boat with us for a run" said Sig with an evil smile.

"No way, I'd never last out there, I'd be a Victoria-cicle before we left the harbor" said Victoria.

"We'd obviously need to get some proper gear, but I'm sure you could do it" said Edgar.

"I agree, she'd probably be really good at it. She'd easily be able to get in and out of the pots" said Norman.

"You are all insane" said Victoria.

"But you already said yes, now it's just a question of when" said Edgar.

"A good assistant always listens" said Jake in a high voice.

"I told you saying that was going to bite you in the ass" said Nick.

"You are all insane, there is no way I'm going out fishing with you" said Victoria. "Going out to check the internet with Phil was bad enough."

"That's right, I forgot that you went out on the Cornelia Marie, that's boat favoritism. You have to go out on our boat to make it fair" said Sig.

"Why would you even want me out there, I'm probably some sort of insurance nightmare" said Victoria.

"We'd keep you safe" said Matt. Victoria's head dropped to the table.

"Why did I take this job" she mumbled over and over again.

"Because your young and you need the money" said Edgar.

"You are so fucking hilarious" mumbled Victoria, not bothering to move her head from the table.

"Alright, lets get the princess home. We can discuss her trip on the boat later" said Sig. Victoria stood up and grabbed her bag before walking to the truck. Sig and Edgar drove her back to the hotel both walking her up to her room. Victoria set her bag down on the desk and sat dejectedly on the bed.

"Cheer up princess, we aren't taking you out tomorrow or anything" said Sig with a smile.

"I'll cheer up when you say you aren't taking me out at all" said Victoria.

"That's not going to happen, you already said you would" said Edgar. Victoria flopped back on the bed covering her head with a pillow.

"You have until we get back for the next off load to get the gear you need. Call Helly and have them send you some stuff, they will put it on our account. Before you start freaking out, it will be a short trip because we will hopefully be all dialed in by then" said Sig.

"No backing out princess" said Edgar.

"Fine, since you clearly are not going to drop this, I'll call Helly Hansen tomorrow" said Victoria grumpily.

"Don't forget to buy deck boots" said Sig with a smile.

"Don't you guys have a boat to catch or something" said Victoria.

"Rest up while you can and if you are prone to seasickness get some drugs" said Sig. Victoria didn't even get up from the bed to show the guys out, she just laid there wondering what the hell she'd just agreed to do. Looking at the clock she sighed it was really late and she should probably go to sleep. Maybe she'd wake up and find out this was just a horrible nightmare.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you very much for all the awesome reviews. I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying the story.

Victoria woke up slowly and didn't physically get out of bed until almost 10. She felt like the moment she got out of bed the reality of working on a crab boat would hit her and she didn't want to face it. When she couldn't hold off using the bathroom anymore she finally swung her feet over the side of the bed and padded softly to the toilet. Walking back into the room she sat down at the desk and pulled out her notebooks and laptop. The only way she was going to face this situation was to just handle all the details and worry about the big picture later. Her first order of business was to call Helly Hansen and get some warmer clothes. If Sig gave her carte blanche to order whatever she wanted she was going to order two of everything. She called the store and Caroline was more than accommodating to all her requests, even making some suggestions that were sure to turn Sig's stomach. Getting assurance that the items would arrive within the week Victoria crossed item one off her list. Next she called Tony and told him that she was going to work on the Northwestern.

"Vicks, I thought you'd know better than agree to these types of things" said Tony sounding a little disappointed.

"Well, I certainly should have known better" agreed Victoria.

"Do you want me to call Thom and try to get you out of it?" offered Tony.

"No, a promise is a promise" said Victoria resignedly.

"Can I send you anything, do you need anything special?" asked Tony.

"No, I just ordered all my special gear, later today I'll go out and get some deck boots" said Victoria.

"Well I'm sure that you will be well prepared, you always are" said Tony.

"I'll talk to you later Tony" said Victoria.

"Good Luck Vicks" said Tony before hanging up.

"I'm going to need it" said Victoria to herself. Deciding that deck boots could wait she spent the rest of the day ordering all the Valentine's day presents. She was thrilled that she was able to find everything she wanted to get the wives. Feeling much better after all her retail therapy she decided to go down to the restaurant to have something to eat.

Sitting down at the bar she ordered some appetizers and a beer. Victoria was peacefully revising her lists when she felt someone slide into the seat next to her. Looking up she smiled in relief that it was Troy.

"Victoria, I just heard some crazy rumor from our camera guy on board the Northwestern."

"Oh yeah" she said.

"He says that you are going out with the crew on their last run" said Troy his voice heavy with disbelief.

"Well your guy heard right" said Victoria.

"Holy shit" said Troy completely shocked. "Why would you agree to that?"

"I wasn't paying attention and I agreed to it without realizing what I'd agreed to" said Victoria.

"And they wouldn't let you take it back? What am I saying of course they wouldn't." said Troy.

"Yeah well, it's going to be a learning experience" said Victoria her voice full of false cheer.

"You need gear" said Troy suddenly.

"I just ordered a bunch of clothes and rain gear from Helly Hansen, it will be here in a week" said Victoria.

"But you need long underwear, boots, gloves and probably loads of other stuff" said Troy.

"I was just revising my list of things to buy" said Victoria pushing her notebook over so Troy could look at it.

"Wow, you are really organized and you have beautiful penmanship" said Troy.

"Thanks" said Victoria wondering which of Troy's parents was a teacher.

"I think you need to talk to some greenhorns to figure out what you really need to bring" said Troy thoughtfully.

"I'll take that under consideration. Tomorrow I'm going to the store to buy the rain boots and whatever else the clerk suggests. I'm sure they can steer me in the right direction, after all they outfit everyone out here" said Victoria.

"I think you need something a little stronger than beer" said Troy.

"That is what got me in this mess in the first place" said Victoria with a sigh.

"Never drink with a crabber, that's a life lesson" said Troy.

"Now you tell me" said Victoria. She and Troy spent a while at the bar chatting about what Victoria's game plan should be on the boat. After a while Victoria excused herself and headed back up to her room. She checked her email and then filled the bathtub. She stayed in the tub until she was horribly wrinkled, when she finally got out of the tub she didn't even bother putting anything on. Slipping into bed with nothing but a towel she fell into sleep before 9 pm.

When she awoke the next morning she wondered why the hell she was only wearing a towel and what happened to her hair. She gave up trying to pull a comb through it after her eyes started watering. Muttering to herself she slipped on a pair of jeans and a few shirts before donning her coat and heading out the door. She grabbed a cup of coffee from the stand in the lobby before taking a cab to Dutch Harbor Gear. She walked into the store shaking the snow from her hair before she knew it a clerk offered to help her.

"I'm going on the Northwestern in a few weeks for a trip and I need everything that Helly Hansen won't be sending me" said Victoria pulling out her list.

"So your Victoria?" said the guy. "I'm Julian, Sig called a few days ago to let me know you were coming in." Victoria was gobsmacked, then the wheels in her brain started turning.

"What did he tell me to get?" she asked.

"Boots, lots of socks, and some gloves" said Julian.

"Well it's nice that he told someone what I'll need" said Victoria in a huff.

"I can't believe he's taking you out or that you agreed to go" said Julian.

"Have you worked on a boat before?" asked Victoria.

"I did for 5 years, but then I broke my leg and haven't been back since" said Julian.

"You broke your leg on a boat?" she asked.

"No, skiing in Aspen" said Julian. Victoria let out a relieved breath and followed Julian over to the boots. She tried on a bunch of different sizes with varying numbers of socks. Julian suggested that she wear at least 2 pairs of socks and that she tuck the sweats into the boots, then wear the rain gear over them, that way there was a better chance her feet would stay dry. Victoria nodded and then started taking notes, she didn't want any of this information to go to waste. It was probably be the only help she'd get that wasn't being yelled at her. Julian rung up all of Victoria's purchases and then offered to drive her back to the hotel. In the truck Julian explained more about what would be expected of her on the boat and what some of the best ways to stay out of danger were. He dropped her off at the front of the hotel.

"Call me when the Helly gear comes in and I'll show you how to use it all" he said before pulling away. Victoria gave him a nod and a wave before dragging her bags up to her room.

As Victoria turned down the hall she saw Mark sitting on the floor in front of her door. She considered just turning around but he'd already spotted her. Shooting up like his ass was on fire he charged towards her.

"What do you think your doing?" he asked angrily.

"Walking to my room" said Victoria. She moved past him, slid her key card and opened the door. Mark followed her in like she knew he would.

"Who gave you authorization to go onto the Northwestern?" demanded Mark.

"Before you start in on your whole 'girls don't belong on boats' speech, know that I didn't ask to go on the boat. I wasn't paying attention when they asked me and said yes without listening to the request" spat Victoria.

"I don't care what you did, you can't go. I forbid it" said Mark.

"I don't work for you, I work for them" said Victoria. Then she stopped and thought about it, Mark would probably be just enough of an ass to go directly to Sig and demand that Victoria not be allowed to go on the boat. She decided to change tact's completely. "Besides I don't think they'll let me out of it" she said sadly,

"We'll see about that, I'll talk to them myself" said Mark importantly. Victoria just nodded keeping her head down so he couldn't see her smile. He left shortly after their conversation saying he needed to make a call. Either way the conversation went Victoria would be happy. If she got out of going out on the boat, great or if Mark got squished like the bug by Sig that was great too. With a particularly sunny disposition on life she ordered pizza and soda for an early dinner. Spending the rest of the evening gorging on pizza and watching HBO she eventually fell asleep around 10. The next week was spent doing a little work on the websites and a lot of research on crab fishing. Victoria watched all the episodes she could find of Deadliest Catch along with all the youtube videos, she even ordered and Andy and Jonathon's book. By the time the Helly Hansen gear arrived Victoria was in a slightly better frame of mind about going out on the Northwestern.

Victoria ripped open the boxes like it was Christmas morning, strewing the packaging all over the room. Pulling out what she considered to be her crowning achievement she smiled to herself and laid the pink raingear emblazoned with the Northwestern logo onto the bed. Just seeing it made her heart soar, Sig was going to hate it and he was going to have to see it on deck every single day she was out there. Victoria pulled out her phone and dialed Dutch Harbor Gear, she talked toJulian and he agreed to come over after work and help her with all the gear. Victoria decided to order dinner from room service so she wouldn't have to try everything on an empty stomach. She heard the knock at the door and opened it.

"Hi Julian, come on in."

"Oh shit is that pink raingear?" he asked walking over to the bed.

"It is. Do you think Sig will hate it?" she asked.

"Oh most definitely" said Julian.

"I ordered dinner for us" said Victoria.

"Cool, I'm starving" said Julian. The food arrived moments later and both Julian and Victoria ate ravenously. Once they were both full Julian started laying out all of Victoria's new clothes, soon the bed was completely covered.

"Wow, you didn't miss anything did you" he said.

"I have two of everything they make. I won't have to do laundry the whole time I'm on the boat" said Victoria proudly.

"That's probably a good thing because chances are you'll be working every second you're out there" said Julian. Victoria frowned at this but didn't comment, she hoped at some point she'd get to sleep, but apparently not.

"Alright, lets get you dressed" said Julian. He sent Victoria into the bathroom to change into her first layer of clothes, which consisted of long underwear and a t-shirt. She emerged from the bathroom and Julian had her put on sweats and a sweatshirt, then helped her into the pink raingear, her socks and boots. When she was completely dressed he had her walk onto the balcony.

"Are you cold?" he asked her.

"No, in fact I'm really hot" said Victoria.

"Perfect, hopefully you will be warm enough out there" said Julian pointing to the water.

"I hope so" said Victoria turning to walk back inside. She changed back into her normal clothes and carried the long underwear to the bed. "I guess I'm all set."

"You need a duffle bag" said Julian. "Sig will never allow you on the boat with a suitcase." Victoria scribbled down a note to buy a duffle bag and some personal toiletries. A few minutes later Julian and Victoria walked down to the bar.

"Dinner and drinks? Are you trying to get lucky?" he said jokingly.

"Just trying to say thanks for helping me out" said Victoria.

"You'll be fine. Work hard and don't complain, those are the two best pieces of advice I can give you" said Julian sincerely.

"I appreciate all the advice you've given me" said Victoria.

"I have to ask you something but I don't want you to freak out, ok?" said Julian.

"Ok" said Victoria warily.

"Have you made a will?" asked Julian, flinching.

"Yes, I made one a long time ago" said Victoria easily.

"Good, not that something's going to go wrong" said Julian lamely.

"It's ok, I've been an assistant for a while and I made one at the request of my first agent, just in case" said Victoria.

"I'm glad you're so prepared. Is being an assistant really that dangerous?" asked Julian.

"I think I made one because there was so much air travel involved and my first agent was terrified of flying" explained Victoria.

"Got it" said Julian.

"Who's this Victoria?" said Mark from behind her.

"Mark this is Julian, he's been helping me get ready, just in case you can't talk Sig out of taking me on the boat" said Victoria. Mark looked disdainfully at Julian before turning his attention to Victoria.

"Don't worry yourself about anything Victoria, I can handle Sig" said Mark.

"Of course" said Victoria making a face at Julian. Mark walked away importantly and Julian started laughing as soon as he was out of earshot.

"He's going to talk Sig out of taking you on the boat?" he asked though his laughter.

"That's what he thinks" replied Victoria.

"I wish I could see that conversation" said Julian wistfully.

"Me too, but without actually being seen by either participant" said Victoria.

"I'd tell Edgar about it so maybe he can tape it or something" suggested Julian.

"Good idea" said Victoria. They both finished their drinks and parted ways. Victoria headed back to her room, she carefully folded the clothes and stacked them on the bed trying to determine what size duffle bag she'd need to buy. Writing down the approximate measurement of the clothes she moved them to the floor before changing into pajamas and slipping into bed.

The next day Victoria's first order of business was to find a duffle bag, it proved to be harder than she thought but eventually she found one that would fit her clothes. Her next stop was the store for some baby wipes, deodorant, a few toothbrushes, toothpaste and hair ties. Back at the hotel she packed all her toiletries in plastic bags to keep them dry and organized. She threw in a pack of her birth control pills, not because she expected to have sex but so she could skip the sugar pills and avoid having her period while out at sea. Packing everything in the duffle bag she had to sit on it to close it. Now all she had to do was wait.

The next day she got a call from Phil on the Cornelia Marie, they were in offloading and he asked her to come down to the boat. Victoria agreed and hopped onto the deck a few hours later. Jake and Josh walked over to give her a hug and tell her that Phil was in the wheelhouse. Victoria made her way across the slippery deck and inside. She hung her coat on a peg and walked up the stairs to the wheelhouse. Phil didn't take his eyes off the windows until the next brailer was lowered into the crab tank.

"So Vicks, I hear you are going to be the Northwestern's newest deckhand" said Phil.

"You heard right" said Victoria.

"You bitched and moaned so much when we went out I can't believe that you are willing to go out and actually work. Do you even know what that's going to entail?" asked Phil.

"I didn't volunteer or anything. And I have a vague idea of what I'm going to be expected to do. I've done a fair amount of research" said Victoria defensively.

"What kind of research?" asked Phil.

"I read a book, searched the internet, watched the show and some videos on youtube" said Victoria.

"Videos on youtube?" said Phil in disbelief.

"Yes, there are a few fan videos for the Cornelia Marie that I found quite interesting." said Victoria with a smile.

"Let me see them" said Phil reaching for Victoria's laptop. Victoria pulled up the videos and Phil split is time watching the screen and the brailer weights. Josh came up to tell Phil the first tank was empty and watched a few fan videos while he was in the wheelhouse. Jake came up next with Freddie to check out the videos at Josh's suggestion. Everyone felt honored that people spent the time to make fan videos for the boat and they all got a few laughs at some of the footage.

"Jake take Vicks down and teach her how to do a bait set up" said Phil.

"Roger. Come on Victoria" said Jake already walking down the stairs. Victoria followed him to the bait station and listened as he explained all the machinery, then he took her into the freezer to show her the blocks of frozen herring and the fresh cod fish. He explained the bait bags and how to hook the cod on the bait lines, Victoria wished she had her notebook and possibly a plug for her nose. Trying to commit the tutorial to memory she asked Jake a bunch of questions. Jake a few of them before turning to her.

"You need to just watch, don't ask this many questions on the Northwestern" said Jake.

"Fine, I just want to be as prepared as possible" said Victoria.

"I know, but you are going to forget everything I'm telling you because the only thing you are going to be thinking about is trying not to throw up" said Jake. Victoria's face dropped, she'd forgotten to get medicine like Sig suggested.

"I have to go, I need to get some meds before I get on the boat" said Victoria.

"Have dad go with you, he knows everyone in that clinic" suggested Jake.

"I'll ask him" said Victoria slipping and sliding towards the house door. Phil watched her progress on deck thinking she really needed to wear deck boots. He turned as he heard her soft footsteps on the stairs.

"Done with your training already?" he asked as she reached the top of the stairs.

"No, I forgot something important. I need to go to the doctor" said Victoria.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Phil suddenly concerned.

"Nothing right now, but I need medicine for when I start getting seasick" explained Victoria.

"Oh, no problem. I'll take you." said Phil. It took Phil a few minutes to get ready to go, but eventually he and Victoria were in the truck heading to the clinic.

Arriving at the clinic had Victoria not seen the sign outside she would have thought Phil just walked into Cheers. Everyone knew his name and greeted him as an old friend, all polite inquiries about his health were greeted with the same pat answer.

"I'm not here for myself today" said Phil moving Victoria in front of him. "Victoria needs some anti nausea medication."

"Are you the girl who's going out on the Northwestern?" asked the nurse.

"Yes" said Victoria. When the nurse left the room she turned to Phil. "What is this place high school? Everyone knows everyone else's business."

"This is a very tight knit community and you going out on the Northwestern is big news" explained Phil.

"Great, everyone will talking about my epic failure for years to come" said Victoria sadly.

"You'll be fine" said Phil reassuringly. Victoria gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him. The doctor came in and asked Victoria a few questions before giving her a few different types of medication. Victoria took notes on the dosage and side effects of each medication before placing the meds in her bag.

"You are the first person I've ever given meds to that I'm confident will actually take them as prescribed" said the doctor.

"She's very organized" said Phil with a smile.

"Good luck out there Victoria" said the doctor as he sailed out the door.

"Well I suppose other than my raging anxiety I'm ready to go" said Victoria.

"Ready to go out the door or out on the boat?" asked Phil.

"Both" said Victoria sliding off the exam table. "It's too bad he didn't make you put on one of the paper gowns" said Phil as he followed Victoria out of the room.

"Yeah, that's a real disappointment" said Victoria her voice thick with sarcasm. Phil drove Victoria back to the boat so he could check on the offload. Victoria sat in the wheelhouse smoking cigarettes and trying very hard not to bite her nails.

"You should just calm down, you are freaking yourself out" said Josh from behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and began to kneed the knots out of her neck. "Take off a layer of clothes and it will work better."

"I bet you say that to all the girls" said Victoria pulling her sweater over her head.

"I hope you got some warmer clothes than these" said Josh.

"I got a couple of boxes full of clothes from Helly Hansen" said Victoria.

"That must have cost a pretty penny" said Josh.

"It was all on Sig's account" said Victoria with a smile.

"I wouldn't want to be around when he gets that bill" said Josh.

"Yeah, it reminds me of a couple of idiots I know who bought a TV" said Phil.

"Jake bought the TV, I just got raingear" said Josh.

"Whatever you say Joshua" said Phil. Victoria hid her smile behind her hand and bit her lip to keep from laughing. She'd never heard Phil use Josh's full name and it made him sound so much like a dad.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Josh squeezing Victoria's neck.

"Nothing, Joshua" she said before dissolving into a fit of giggles.

"What's wrong with the name Joshua?" asked Phil.

"Nothing, it's just when you say it like that you sounds like such a parent" explained Victoria.

"Maybe you haven't noticed but I am his parent" said Phil. "I know, but he's 26 years old" said Victoria.

"With the responsibility and maturity of a 12 year old" said Phil.

"Hello. Still in the room" said Josh.

"Of course you are sweetie" said Victoria mockingly.

"Don't be a smart ass" said Josh moving his hands away from her shoulders.

"Don't stop. I promise I'll be good" whined Victoria.

"I always knew you'd beg" said Josh resuming the massage.

Victoria was going to retort but she fell under the spell of Josh's magical fingers. Phil watched the pair out of the corner of his eye, he wondered if Josh had feelings for Victoria of he was just being his usual flirty self.

Phil drove Victoria back to the hotel once the offload was finished. As they walked into the room Victoria was practically bouncing up and down. The minute the door was shut she dug around in her duffle bag and pulled out a bundle of pink.

"What the hell is that?" asked Phil.

"I'll show you" said Victoria disappearing into the bathroom. She emerged moments later in her pink raingear. "So what do you think?" she asked doing a little spin.

"Oh my God" was all Phil could say for a moment. "Where did you get that?"

"Helly Hansen sent it to me, do you like it?" asked Victoria. Phil grabbed her and spun her around so he could see the huge Hansen logo on the back.

"Did you ask for this specifically?" said Phil.

"Yes, Caroline helped me pick it out" said Victoria.

"Sig is going to hate it, so is Edgar" said Phil with a devilish smile. "They are going to torture you while you are out there."

"I don't care, it will be worth it to torture them back" said Victoria.

"I wish I could be there when they see you" said Phil. "Ask the camera guys to take a picture of their faces when you walk out in your special outfit."

"I will" said Victoria. "By the way Sig's already going to be mad because Mark is going to be speaking to him about not letting me go."

"Did you ask him to talk to Sig?" asked Phil.

"Nope, he's taken it on as his duty to 'protect' me" said Victoria. "I hope Sig rips him a new asshole."

"Oh I'm sure he will" said Phil. Phil went through and repacked Victoria's duffle bag for her easily pulling the zipper closed once he was finished. They ordered pizza and ate it while watching TV, Phil received a few calls from the Josh asking if Victoria was going to come out to the bar. Phil asked her but Victoria declined, she wanted to get as much sleep before the Northwestern got in. Explaining that no boat wants to keep the crab in the hold longer than 14 days Phil told her they'd probably be coming in the next few days. Victoria nodded looking a little more nervous. Phil headed out to meet his crew at the bar leaving Victoria to her own devices. As soon as Phil left she ran herself another bath before going to bed, this time she slipped into a pair of pajamas just in case she got any unexpected visitors.


	6. Chapter 6

Victoria was woken up by Phil calling her room, he told her they were leaving port. He'd talked to Sig and they were on their way to Dutch for their offload. Victoria thanked Phil for the news and wished him and the crew of the Cornelia Marie a good trip. Victoria laid back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling wondering how much time she had before she'd actually have to get on the boat. Rolling over she buried her head in the pillow and screamed. Feeling slightly better after screaming she got up and got dressed. Calling down to the front desk she asked if there was any place in town to get a pedicure. Victoria walked down to have some coffee before going to get her feet done. She saw Troy and Mark in the lobby and walked over to say good morning.

"Hi guys" she said.

"Morning Victoria" said Troy. Mark just nodded at her importantly.

"Mark, I just heard that the Northwestern is heading in for their offload" said Victoria.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about going out, I'll talk to Sig the second they get in" said Mark. "You won't be going anywhere."

"Right. Well I'll see you guys later" said Victoria. She walked as far as the front door of the lobby before Troy caught up with her.

"Hey, I wanted to know if you were all set" said Troy.

"I am, my bag's all packed and I'm ready to go whenever they come and get me" said Victoria.

"I want to wish you good luck" said Troy.

"Thanks. I'm sure I'm going to need all the luck I can get" said Victoria.

"Those guys won't let anything happen to you" said Troy reassuringly.

"Have a good day" said Victoria.

"You too" said Troy.

Victoria walked up to a small house and wondered if this was the right place. A lady popped her head out of the door the second Victoria's foot hit the first step.

"Come in honey" said the lady. Victoria smiled and hurried up the stairs. Once inside the house she shucked off her coat and slipped out of her boots.

"I'm Jen, and I'm thrilled to do your toes, come on back" said the lady.

"Thanks Jen, I'm thrilled to know I can get them done up here" said Victoria. Jen led Victoria to a glass enclosed porch, the view overlooked the harbor.

"This is breathtaking" said Victoria.

"I know, and I get to see it every single day" said Jen beaming.

"You are one lucky lady" said Victoria. Jen sat Victoria in a recliner and quickly dipped her feet in a wonderfully warm water bath.

"You must be one of the discovery crew members" said Jen.

"Kind of. I'm the new assistant to the captains" said Victoria.

"Not the one that's going out on the Northwestern?" asked Jen.

"Yes, I'm the one" said Victoria.

"Well you are going to need extra pampering then sweetie" said Jen.

"Pamper away, I'm putty in your hands" said Victoria leaning back and closing her eyes. Jen spent the next two hours massaging Victoria's hands and feet. Victoria never wanted to leave the little house, it was heaven on earth.

"Well sweetie what do you think?" asked Jen showing Victoria her toes. They were painted sparkly pink with a shamrock on each big toe. "I thought it would bring you a little luck."

"It's perfect, they will match my raingear" said Victoria with a smile.

"Pink raingear, Sig is going to have your head my dear" said Jen.

"Probably, but at least my nails look good" said Victoria. Instead of putting her boots back on she slipped into some flip flops. The little house was just a little ways from the hotel but Victoria wasn't taking any chances on getting frost bite so she called a cab. Arriving back at the hotel Victoria grabbed lunch then went up to her room.

Meanwhile on the Northwestern the boat was getting a thorough cleaning. Edgar and Jake were cleaning the kitchen and taking bets on when Victoria would ask to go back to port.

"By the end of the first string" said Jake.

"Hmm, I think it will be before that, maybe the first cod that explodes all over her when she cuts into it" said Edgar.

"I hate it when that happens" said Jake.

"What are you guys talking about" asked Sig walking down the wheelhouse stairs.

"When Victoria is going to quit" said Edgar.

"I'm sure she's going to be puking before we even get out of the harbor" said Sig. "At least that's what Phil told me she did on his boat."

"Junior, make sure you put a bucket next to her bunk" said Edgar.

"Is she going to sleep in my room?' asked Jake. Edgar just shrugged. He hadn't really thought a lot about the logistics of having Victoria on the boat. She'd clearly be sleeping somewhere and the camera guys usually used the one extra bunk. Although if the season was going the way it had been she wouldn't be sleeping much, Sig had the guys working on 30 hour grinds with only a few hours of sleep in between.

"She can sleep wherever she wants" said Sig. Jake just smiled and went back to wiping down the counter, the boat was positively sparkling. Edgar had told everyone to get cleaning as soon as they woke up this morning. Jake thought it was because Edgar wanted to make a good impression on Victoria.

"Junior, stop smiling and get back to work" barked Edgar. Jake ducked his head and kept cleaning, the smile never left his face. The boat arrived for it's offload just after midnight, the crew was out on deck and watched as the crab tanks were opened revealing their catch.

"Everything looks good" said Edgar.

"When are you going to call Victoria?" asked Nick.

"Anxious?" said Edgar teasingly.

"Not really, just wondering. I'm more anxious to call my wife, today is Valentine's day" said Nick.

"Thanks for the reminder" said Edgar.

"Yeah, I'll remind you again when the offload's over" said Nick. By 8 am the offload was in full swing, Sig was standing on the deck next to Edgar when he saw Mark walking towards the boat.

"Hey Byan or Tim your boss is coming this way" yelled Sig.

"Roger" said Bryan shooting the rising brailer. Tim walked out of the wheelhouse and gingerly climbed up onto the dock.

Mark had heard the Northwestern was in port and wanted to talk to Sig as soon as possible. As he approached the boat he saw Tim walking towards him.

"Tim, is Sig on board? I have some business to discuss with him" said Mark.

"Um, they're offloading" said Tim.

"Great" said Mark walking past Tim and jumping down onto the deck.

"Oh hey Mark, said Bryan swinging the camera off his shoulder and walking over to his boss. "Did you need something?"

"I need to talk to Sig" said Mark walking toward the captain.

"Um, dude they're in the middle of an offload" said Bryan.

"It's important" said Mark continuing over to where Sig was standing.

"Hi Mark" said Edgar as he marked down the weight of the brailer on his tally sheet.

"Hey. Sig I was hoping to have a moment of your time, it's important" said Mark.

"Sure, lets go up to my office" said Sig. As they walked into the wheelhouse they noticed Tim was already there putting a new tape in the captain cam.

"Tim, please excuse us I need to speak to Sig alone" said Mark importantly. Tim just nodded hitting the record button on the camera before he headed down the stairs to the galley.

"Alright Mark, what is it?" asked Sig watching the offload from the monitor.

"I just wanted to let you know that Victoria isn't going to be allowed on the boat" said Mark.

"What?" said Sig shifting his focus from the monitor to Mark.

"Yes, well it's just not safe for her to be out here doing work that brings grown men to their knees every single season. She's an employee of the discovery channel and therefore as the boss up here it's my job to make sure she's safe. I don't feel that it's in her best interest to go out with you." said Mark puffing out his chest slightly.

"Did she ask you to do this?" asked Sig evenly.

"She told me that she'd agreed to go out on the boat and I informed her that she wasn't allowed to go" said Mark.

"Did she specifically ask you to ask me to let her off the hook?" asked Sig.

"No. She was all for going through with it kept saying something about always keeping promises, but Sig I simply can't allow it" said Mark.

"You can't allow it? She doesn't work for you she works for us" said Sig.

"I'm her boss, she works for Discovery. Technically I'm your boss because you are doing my show" said Mark. Sig's face contorted in anger.

"Listen you sniveling piece of shit, don't you ever refer to yourself as my boss. As for your show without the crab boats and crews you would just be sitting at home with your thumb up your ass. We are the show" said Sig his voice rising just shy of yelling.

"Sig, she's bad luck. I can't believe that you'd be stupid enough to ask her to go on a trip with you. I can take her place if you want me to but Victoria's not going with you" said Mark.

"Did you just call me stupid" said Sig his voice deathly quiet.

"Not you specifically, but this decision to ask Victoria. I mean surely you see that it's stupid" said Mark starting to feel a little uncomfortable at the direction the conversation had turned.

"You have 30 seconds to get the hell of my boat you useless sack of shit" yelled Sig. Mark considered making another plea for Victoria but changed his mind when Sig took a step towards him. Mark ran down the stairs and out of the door onto the deck before scrambling up onto the dock. Sig appeared behind him.

"If I ever see that piece of shit on this boat again you all have permission to kick his sorry excuse for an ass" said Sig to the crew on deck. "Edgar, go pick up Victoria."

"Roger" said Edgar handing the clipboard to Norman.

Victoria had just finished blow drying her hair when she heard a knock at her door. Sighing she secured her towel and answered the door. The second she opened the door Mark came flying in looking like a deranged psychopath.

"You need to get out of here" he said flinging clothes into her suitcase.

"Mark, what happened?" asked Victoria

"I talked to Sig, it didn't go well and they are going to take you" said Mark.

"Well I'm all packed to go with them, just like a promised. Thanks for um trying to talk him out of it but I'll be fine" said Victoria. Mark turned to her his eyes glazed with fear.

"You don't understand, he's angry, really angry" said Mark. "We can leave tonight, I have to call some people, but I'll do that when I'm back in LA. He's crazy, he's psycho, we are in danger."

"Mark, you need to calm down. Go to your room and hideout for a couple days. I'll be fine, I'm their assistant they can ask me to do whatever they want and I'm ok with that" said Victoria. The knock at the door made Mark run around the room like a chicken with his head cut off. Victoria walked towards the door.

"What the hell are you doing? It's him, he's going to kill me" said Mark walking out onto the balcony.

"Mark! Get off the balcony, no one is going to hurt you. It's only Edgar" said Victoria.

"No, please I'm begging you not to open the door. Sig probably told him what I said and now he's here to kill me. He's the hit man" sobbed Mark. Victoria rolled her eyes at the spectacle before her and opened the door.

"Hi Edgar come in" said Victoria.

"Nice towel" said Edgar.

"Thanks, I'm going to finish drying my hair and then I'll be ready to go" said Victoria. As she turned towards the bathroom she noticed that Mark was no where to be seen. Assuming that he was hiding she walked into the bathroom making sure to leave the door open. Edgar plopped down on the bed and began channel surfing. Victoria finished doing her hair then closed the door to change into her clothes. When she remerged she announced she was ready to go.

"Did you get the gear from Helly Hansen?" asked Edgar looking at Victoria's outfit.

"Yes, it's all in the bag" said Victoria pointing to the duffle bag in the corner of the room. Edgar walked over to pick up the bag and noticed Mark laying on the floor.

"Hey Mark" said Edgar. Mark shot up and ran to the door screaming, he tore open the door running into the hallway.

"What did Sig do to him?" asked Victoria.

"We'll have to ask Sig. He was on the boat this morning and said he needed to talk about something important" said Edgar.

"Yeah, he was going to convince Sig not to take me out on the boat" explained Victoria.

"Did you ask him to do that for you?" asked Edgar.

"Nope, he came in demanding to know what I was thinking volunteering to go out. When I explained to him what really happened he assured me that he would talk to Sig and that there was no way I'd be going anywhere" said Victoria.

"Hmm, well maybe that explains why Sig told us to kick his ass if he ever came on the boat again" said Edgar thoughtfully. Victoria finished packing up her computer, notebooks and ipod.

"I'm all ready" she announced.

"Do you have rocks in here?" asked Edgar hoisting her bag over his shoulder.

"Yes, I thought I'd pack them so when I jump off the side of the boat I'll go straight to the bottom" said Victoria.

"Right. You know we are only going to be out for 14 days max. What's in here?" asked Edgar.

"Lots of clothes and underwear, I plan on changing both daily" said Victoria.

"Good luck sticking to that plan" said Edgar.

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"You'll see" said Edgar with a smirk. They walked together down to the truck, Edgar threw the duffle bag into the back while Victoria climbed into the passenger seat.

The truck pulled up next to the Northwestern and Victoria got out slowly. Walking over to the side of the dock she watched Edgar toss her bag to Matt who carried it inside. Edgar jumped down onto the deck and looked back up at Victoria.

"Come aboard Victoria" said Edgar. "Just jump I'll catch you." Taking a big breath she stepped onto the rail before sitting down and dropping to the deck, true to his word Edgar caught her and set her on her feet.

"I'll never get use to that" muttered Victoria.

"If that's the hardest thing you have to master this trip consider yourself lucky" said Edgar. Victoria followed Edgar over to where Sig was standing with Norman.

"Hi Victoria" said Norman.

"Hi Victoria" said Sig looking at her suspiciously.

"I didn't ask him to talk to you about not taking me out on the boat" she said.

"Did he tell you what he said to me?" asked Sig.

"No, he was too busy throwing my things into a suitcase and telling me we had to leave town" said Victoria.

"I found him laying on the floor next to the bed and the guy runs screaming out of the room" laughed Edgar.

"Screaming?" asked Sig.

"Like a little girl" said Victoria.

"What did he say to you Sig?" asked Edgar.

"We got it all on tape" said Tim before Sig could answer. "The captain cam was recording."

"Can I see it?" asked Victoria.

"Um, I guess that's up to Sig" said Tim.

"Show her if you want to, I don't want to see that dipshit's face again" said Sig with a sneer.

"Lets go watch it" said Victoria. Tim and Victoria went up to the wheelhouse, rewinding the tape they both took their turns watching the video and listening to the audio. When Victoria heard what Mark had said to Sig she was surprised he'd made it off the boat alive. Tim watched after her and his face just got paler and paler. When they were finished watching Tim re-installed the camera and stared at Victoria.

"Oh my God. I can't believe he said all that" said Tim.

"I know, I feel like I should apologize for his idiocy" said Victoria.

"But you had nothing to do with it, don't apologize for someone else's mistakes" said Tim.

"How was the fight?" asked Edgar walking into the wheelhouse.

"He called Sig stupid, twice" said Victoria.

"What?" said Edgar stunned by the revelation. "Let me see it." Tim started the film for Edgar and then stepped back. Victoria and Tim watched as Edgar's face grew darker and darker. When the video was over Edgar calmly handed back the camera to Tim before silently walking out of the wheelhouse.

"I think he's mad" said Tim.

"No shit Sherlock" said Victoria. Sitting down in the portside chair Victoria pulled out her laptop and opened her email. She had a new email from Mark, noting the time she figured he must have sent it after he ran out of the room. She opened it and began to read. Her smile grew bright and when she finished she stood up placing the computer on her vacated seat and walked down to the deck with her phone.

When she got down there Edgar was having a heated conversation with Sig and Norman. Victoria walked over slowly unsure if she wanted to interrupt.

"We should just rough him up a little" said Edgar pleadingly.

"You can't" said Victoria. "He's already left."

"What are you talking about?" asked Edgar.

"I got an email from him, he got on the 11 o'clock flight out" said Victoria. "He's quitting the show, he says he's going to take some time off to reflect on what happened."

"Why are you so happy?" asked Edgar.

"Because he's a complete ass wipe and I'm thrilled that he can no longer pull the "I'm the boss" card on me" said Victoria with a smile. Sig, Edgar and Norman all smiled at her.

"I think you are going to fit in on this boat nicely" said Sig giving her a pat on the head.

"Did you get real gear?" asked Norman looking at her outfit.

"Yes, the Helly people were very accommodating and so was Dutch Harbor Gear" replied Victoria.

"Then why aren't you wearing it now?" asked Sig.

"Do you want me to go change?" asked Victoria.

"At least put on the deck boots if you are going to be out here. I don't want you to slip and fall" said Sig.

"If you don't need me right now I have some other work to do" said Victoria.

"Where?" asked Sig.

"Upstairs, on my computer. I just want to make sure all the Valentine presents arrived" said Victoria.

"Sure, while you are up there answer the phone if it rings" said Sig.

"What phone?" asked Victoria.

"The Sat phone" said Sig. Victoria stared blankly at him, clearly having no idea what a Sat phone was.

"I'll show her" said Edgar. Victoria followed Edgar up to the wheelhouse, this time using the outside stairway. Opening the door he pulled the phone from it's cradle, explained how it worked and replaced it.

"If someone does call and you need to get one of us just use the hailer" said Edgar pointing to the intercom.

"Do I just have to push the button and talk?" asked Victoria.

"Yep. It's pretty easy" said Edgar.

"So easy a fisherman could do it?" asked Victoria.

"Very funny" said Edgar pulling her hair lightly. Victoria moved back to the chair and picked up her computer. She replied to Mark's email suggesting that he take a job overseas just to be on the safe side. Next she opened an email from Tony wishing her good luck and asking her to be careful. She replied that she would and that Thom owed her a huge vacation, she was thinking a villa in the south of France. Pulling up the tracking numbers for all the Valentine's day gifts she verified that they were all delivered. She'd just finished tracking the last package when the Sat phone rang. Walking over she pulled it down off the cradle and pushed the talk button.

"Hello, fishing vessel Northwestern, how can I help you?"

"Well, that was probably the nicest hello I've ever gotten calling the boat" said the voice. "This is June Hansen, Sig's wife, is he available?"

"I think so, he's downstairs supervising the offload but he did ask me to answer the phone if it rang, so let me get him for you" said Victoria. "Just a second." Victoria put down the phone and picked up the hailer. "Sig, you have a phone call" she said in her most professional tone. Victoria sat quietly waiting for a response, none seemed to be forth coming. Sig burst through the door and scowled at her.

"You need to take your finger off the button in order for us to respond" said Sig. Victoria looked down at the hailer and saw that her finger was still holding the button.

"Sorry" she said. Hanging it back up. Victoria walked downstairs to give Sig some privacy.

Jake was in the kitchen eating a sandwich when Victoria appeared. He smiled at her and offered her a bite of his food. Victoria just shook her head, sat down and pulled out her phone. Texting at a mile a minute to her friends back in LA she caught up on a good bit of gossip.

"You're really fast at that" said Jake.

"Thanks, it's a skill I've been practicing for a few years" said Victoria with a smile.

"You better use it now because it won't work once we leave the harbor" said Jake.

"Bummer. But at least I know the computer will work so I can update my Facebook status" said Victoria with a smile.

"What would it say?" asked Jake.

"Who knows, 'Victoria is wet and tired'" said Victoria.

"You won't even care about that computer once we start working" said Jake knowingly.

"Well don't make it sound so great" said Victoria sarcastically.

"I just want you to be prepared for the reality of it all" said Jake. Victoria's cell rang and she looked at the number on the screen.

"Hi Thom" she said her voice full of surprise.

"Hi Vicks. I hear you are going out on the Northwestern. I wanted to wish you, Sig and the crew a good trip. Stay safe out there" said Thom.

"Thanks Thom" said Victoria.

"And Tony tells me that you want a Villa in the south of France for vacation. If Sig shakes your hand at the end of the trip I'll get you one" said Thom.

"Well if that isn't incentive to work hard then I don't know what is" said Victoria.

"Bye Vicks, be good" said Thom.

"Bye Thom, I'm always good even when I'm not" said Victoria with a smile.

"Who was that?" asked Jake the second Victoria hung up the phone.

"Thom Beers" said Victoria.

"He called you ? Why?" asked Jake.

"He wanted to wish us good luck and tell me that if I'm good he'll send me on a nice vacation" said Victoria.

"Vacation where?" asked Jake.

"A villa in the south of France" said Victoria dreamily.

"Will you take me?" said Jake.

"I'll think about it if you help me" said Victoria.

"Of course I'll help you, we're all going to help you" said Jake earnestly. Victoria just smiled gratefully. Nick walked into the kitchen and pulled Victoria out of her seat and swung her around.

"You are the best girl ever. My wife loved the flowers and she said the blanket and slippers are her favorite color" said Nick setting Victoria down and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so glad she liked everything" said Victoria a slight blush staining her cheeks.

"She didn't like it, she loved it" said Nick. "She said it was the best Valentine's day present she's ever received."

"You didn't tell her that I bought it did you?" asked Victoria.

"Nope, I took all the credit just like you said I should" said Nick.

"Good" said Victoria.

"She said she's really looking forward to thanking me properly when I get home" said Nick raising his eyebrows.

"I'm glad I could help you get lucky" said Victoria with a smile.

"Who's getting lucky?" asked Matt as he walked into the kitchen.

"Nick" said Jake.

"With who?" asked Matt.

"My wife, thanks to Victoria's Valentine's day present" explained Nick.

"I didn't get a Valentine's day present" pouted Matt.

"Me neither, so don't feel bad" said Victoria.

"What kind of idiot boyfriend do you have?" asked Matt.

"A nonexistent one" said Victoria.

"That's surprising" said Matt.

"Not really considering I'm currently on a boat in Alaska" said Victoria.

"Victoria, get up here" yelled Sig from the wheelhouse. Victoria popped out of her seat and rushed up to the wheelhouse leaving her phone on the table. Jake leaned over and picked it up scrolling through the list of names. The phone vibrated in his hand and he opened up the message.

_V- SRSLY UR ON NRTHWSTRN? TCOY. LYSM E. _

"What the hell does this even mean?" said Jake passing the phone to Matt.

"It's texting shorthand" said Matt. "It says seriously you're on the Northwestern. Then some other stuff that I'm not so sure about."

"Jake, I thought you were the youth on this boat, you should know this shit" said Nick.

"Well since I only get to use my cell phone a couple months out of the year, I don't" said Jake.

Victoria bounded up the stairs to the wheelhouse and walked over to Sig's chair. He was still talking on the phone wondering what he needed. Standing next to him she waited until he put his hand over the receiver.

"What did you get my wife?" he asked in a whisper.

"Flowers and a spa day for her and your girls" said Victoria quietly. Sig nodded then took his hand away from the phone.

"June, I know you and the girls would love the spa. The flowers were just sort of traditional" said Sig. Victoria just smiled and turned to walk away, Sig grabbed her sweater and pointed to the chair. Nodding she walked over and took a seat. Sig talked to his wife for a few more minutes before hanging up.

"You should tell us what you got our wives if you want us to take credit for the gifts" said Sig. "June loved the gift but she was suspicious of how I knew just what to get her."

"I'm glad she liked everything" said Victoria. She pulled out a note book and quickly copied out the gifts and their recipients on a piece of paper. Sig took the page and skimmed it his face breaking into a smile.

"You are a good gift buyer" said Sig. "What did you get for Valentine's day?"

"This great guy I know totally humiliated a pompous jerk for me this morning" said Victoria.

"Well he was glad to do it" said Sig with a smile. The radio over his head crackled to life.

"Northwestern this is Time Bandit, Sig you there?"

"This is Sig, go ahead" replied Sig.

"Hey did you already shanghai Victoria?" asked Andy.

"Roger, she's right here" said Sig.

"Can you untie her for second so I can talk to her" said Andy.

"I guess, but only for a minute" said Sig. Passing Victoria the radio he held her hand and pushed the button giving her a nudge to talk.

"Hi Andy" said Victoria her voice unsure. Sig pried her fingers off the button.

"Hi Victoria. I just wanted to say thanks for getting all our ladies such awesome gifts. We owe you another nice dinner when we get back to town" said Andy.

"I'm glad everyone liked them" said Victoria.

"Good luck on the Northwestern, try to stay out of the water, it's cold" said Andy.

"Roger" said Victoria with a giggle.

"You already sound like a crabber" said Andy. Victoria handed the radio back to Sig and he said a quick goodbye to Andy before turning his attention back to Victoria.

"You are quite the little elf" said Sig his eyes shining with mirth. "I think that would be a good nickname for you."

"What? Elf?" said Victoria.

"What do you think?" asked Sig.

"It's fine I guess. You certainly get points for originality" replied Victoria.

The offload finished around 7 and the crew ate together in the galley. Matt had made his famous spaghetti and Mattballs. Victoria thought it was an unfortunate name for really delicious food. After dinner Victoria helped Norman wash the dishes before everyone got ready to head out to the bar. Victoria followed Matt to where her bag was and dug around for a sweatshirt to wear. Slipping it on she admired the pale blue color and huge Northwestern Logo on the front. Smiling to herself she walked out of the room to the galley to show the guys.

"Nice sweatshirt Elf" said Sig.

"Elf, we're calling her elf?" asked Matt.

"Yep, because she's so good at buying presents" said Sig.

"Hey Victoria here's your phone" said Jake handing it to her.

"Thanks, did you answer all the texts for me while you had it?" asked Victoria.

"Nope, we just read them" said Jake.

"I hope they were full of incriminating details about my sordid past" said Victoria.

"Not that Jake would be able to read them" said Matt. Victoria looked at him quizzically. "He can't read the text shorthand."

"Well I can give you private lessons if you want" said Victoria to Jake. Jake just smiled.

"We're just waiting on Edgar" said Sig. "Elf go up and see if he's off the phone yet." Victoria walked up the stairs to the wheelhouse. She could hear that Edgar was still on the phone, walking further into the room she got the distinct feeling that she was walking in on a very private conversation.

"Yeah, and then what will you do to me?" asked Edgar his voice deep with arousal. Victoria froze in the doorway, knowing that she should turn around. "What do you mean the kid's crying? Don't go, I'm so close." said Edgar his voice edged with frustration. "I don't want to do it myself. Maybe I will have the assistant take care of it." At that pronouncement Victoria turned around and walked down the stairs. She stepped on the third step down and heard it creak.

"Victoria, don't you know it's rude to linger in doorways." Edgar's voice floated out of the wheelhouse assaulting Victoria's ears. "Come up here." Victoria walked into the wheelhouse and stood just inside the doorway.

"What did you need?" asked Victoria keeping her head down.

"Did you enjoy spying on me?" asked Edgar.

"I just heard you talking on the phone. Sig sent me up here to see if you were ready to go to the bar" explained Victoria.

"I see, or I should say I saw, specifically in the reflection of the windows. You stayed a little longer than you said" implied Edgar.

"I'm sorry, it was wrong of me to listen to your phone conversation" said Victoria contritely.

"I think I deserve some restitution for your little indiscretion" said Edgar.

"What do you want me to do?" asked Victoria.

"I want you to" Edgar's request was cut off by Jake bounding up the stairs.

"Hey, Sig is ready to go now" he announced.

"Well we don't want to keep him waiting" said Victoria all but sprinting to the stairs. Jake followed her downstairs and Edgar emerged shortly after.

"Finally, what were you two doing up there?" asked Sig.

"Nothing" said Victoria.

"Lets go, just a quick drink and then back to the boat, we are leaving early" said Sig. Victoria was slipping on her coat when she felt Edgar come up behind her.

"We're not finished" whispered Edgar in her ear. Victoria shivered.

**Sorry for the cliffhanger. In case you are wondering about the text message it says: Seriously your on the Northwestern. Take care of yourself. Love you so much. E.

Thanks for all the reviews, I love getting your feedback.


	7. Chapter 7

Victoria sat in the bar in between Sig and Jake slowly sipping a beer wondering if she'd ever see this bar again. Shaking her head against such morose thoughts she listened to Sig expounding the superiority of Norwegian vodka.

"Jesus Victoria aren't you done with that beer yet?" asked Jake.

"Almost" said Victoria picking up her bottle and taking another sip.

"You want something stronger?" asked Sig.

"No thanks, I remember what happened last time I drank with all of you" said Victoria bitterly.

"Do you know how many people would love to be in your shoes right now?" said Edgar.

"Are any of them here now, because I'll happily trade shoes with them" said Victoria. Edgar made a big show of looking around before shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't see any, I suppose we will just have to make due with you" he said with a smile. Victoria downed the rest of her beer before sulking in her seat. After another round the crew headed back to the boat. Victoria dragged her feet on the way having absolutely no desire to get on the boat. Not only was she nervous about working on the boat she wondered what Edgar was going to ask her to do. Berating herself mentally for not just turning around when she first heard him talking she knew it was her own fault she was in such a horrible predicament. Before she knew it she was standing on the dock looking down at the dark deck of the Northwestern, everyone but Sig was already on deck.

"Sig, just pick her up and throw her down here, if we leave it up to her she's going to stand there all night" said Edgar from the deck. Sig placed his hands on Victoria's waist and easily passed her down to Edgar.

"Man she's light" remarked Sig. "I bet she weighs less than a coil of rope." Edgar set her down on her feet before taking her hand and leading her inside. Once inside he quickly took off his jacket and placed it on the hook. Victoria did the same noticing for the first time that there was an extra hook that was slightly lower than all the others.

"Is this one for me?" she asked.

"Yep" said Edgar with a smile. The moment her coat was hung up Edgar was hauling her through the galley towards his room.

Inside the room Edgar flopped down on his bed leaving a very confused and uncomfortable Victoria standing in the doorway. Edgar rolled over and pulled out a large stack of paper from the shelf next to his bunk. Sitting up he motioned for Victoria to come closer.

"Close the door" he said. Victoria sighed and shut the door quietly realizing that it didn't have a lock on it. Her brain fired off rapid images of her being caught in a compromising position by anyone on the boat. Edgar patted the bed next to him and Victoria sat down. "I want you to read these to me." he said handing her the stack of papers which appeared on closer inspection to be letters. Edgar laid back on the bed scooting Victoria to the edge with his legs.

"Sit on Norman's bed" he said. Victoria got up and sat down on Norman's bed.

She cleared her throat and began to read.

_"Dearest Edgar,_

_I hope this letter finds you well. The kids and I are doing as well as can be expected when you're not here. . Halloween fever is sweeping the household and once again everyone's costume requires some sort of blood spatter. I blame you for giving the kids such morbid ideas. We are all missing you, especially at dinner. The table seems so quiet without your laughter. I of course miss you at night, the bed is too big without you hogging the covers and snoring. I've included the kids' letters with mine, they were all excited to write to you. I wish you a safe journey and hope that you catch your quota easily. _

_All my love,_

_Louise." _

Picking up the next letter Victoria noticed it was written by a child.

"_Daddy,_

_I hope you are on the crab. I miss you and want you to come home soon. I'm being good for mommy just like you asked me to._

_I love you,_

_Thomas" _

Victoria looked over at Edgar and saw that his eyes were closed, she couldn't help but smile when she saw the huge grin that was stretched across his face. She placed the next letter aside because it was only a drawing done by a very young child. The next in the pile was another letter from Louise.

_"Edgar,_

_I talked to June today and she said that the season is going well. I hope Sig is letting you rest a little. The house is still in one piece despite your son's attempts to bring it down with his drumming. I can't believe I let you buy them for him, I should have realized that I would be the one forced to listen to him bang on them night and day. I love you so much and miss your comforting arms around me. Stay safe and come home soon._

_I love you with all my heart,_

_Louise"_

Victoria put the letter down before laying down to read the next one. She only made it through two more before both she and Edgar fell asleep. Norman walked into the stateroom mildly surprised to see Victoria asleep on his bed. Walking towards her he noticed a stack of papers laying on the floor, leaning down to pick them up he realized they were Edgar's letters from home. He placed them gently on top of the dresser securing them with a pack of cigarettes. Turning back to the bed he wondered what he should do with sleeping beauty. Norman changed into some sweats and a t-shirt before climbing into the tiny bunk next to Victoria. He was surprised to realize that they both fit, rolling her onto her side he'd expected her to wake up as soon as he touched her but when she didn't he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Victoria woke up a few hours later in a panic, someone's arm was pinning her down. Opening her eyes she couldn't see anything in the dark room. Willing herself not to scream she tried to calmly assess the situation. She remembered reading Edgar's letters to him and she must have fallen asleep, therefore it was probably Norman's arm around her. She was still completely dressed and the boat didn't really feel like it was moving so they must still be in Dutch Harbor. The more she examined the situations the better she felt.

"Victoria, if you don't calm down your heart is going to burst out of your chest" said Norman sleepily.

"Sorry, it was just a little unnerving to wake up in a completely unfamiliar place with an arm over me" explained Victoria.

"Do you want me to move my arm?" asked Norman.

"Um, you don't have to. Now that I know it's you it's fine" said Victoria.

"Then go back to sleep" said Norman.

"Ok" said Victoria. She employed every single relaxation technique she knew and finally drifted off. She was awoken a few hours later by someone tugging on her sweatshirt.

"Elf, get up" said Sig. Victoria opened her eyes and sat up.

"Sig, let her stay here she's warm" said Norman's muffled voice.

"Norman, you didn't ask permission to use the assistant and I just spent the last 30 minutes searching the boat for her" said Sig.

"I didn't use her, Edgar was using her and she fell asleep in my bunk" said Norman his arm pulling at Victoria to lay back down.

"Too bad. We're leaving and I want Victoria to be able to wave goodbye to Dutch Harbor" said Sig.

"Ugh, Sig you are such a bastard" said Norman releasing his hold on Victoria's waist. Victoria slowly got out of bed and followed Sig to the wheelhouse.

"Can I get you some coffee?" asked Victoria.

"You don't have to play the assistant on this boat" said Sig.

"I need coffee if I'm going to be able to open my eyes to see the harbor, so I'll be happy to get you one too" explained Victoria.

"Well if you are offering, I'd love one" said Sig.

"How do you take your coffee?" asked Victoria.

"Black, like my soul" laughed Sig.

"Okey Dokey" said Victoria.

"Elf, don't say that, just say roger" said Sig.

"Fine" said Victoria walking down the stairs. She returned with two cups of coffee, handing Sig his she returned to her seat and lit a cigarette.

"Alright Jake lets cast off" announced Sig over the hailer. Victoria peered out the window and saw Jake and Matt pulling in the ropes. She also noticed that Norman and Edgar were also out on deck. It was still dark outside and the sodium lights lit up the ocean.

"What time is it?" asked Victoria.

"It's just after 7 am" said Sig.

"When does the sun come up?" asked Victoria.

"Around 10" answered Sig.

"Why does it seem darker than normal?" asked Victoria.

"Because we are the only light out here" said Sig. "You'll get use to it." Victoria doubted that she'd get use to being surrounded by dark water. "Phil tells me you know how to put on a survival suit."

"Yes I can put one on" said Victoria. "Do I need to?"

"Not right now" said Sig. "I'll let you know when you do. They are located in each of the staterooms plus we have a few extra up here."

"Ok" said Victoria. She sat quietly sipping her coffee watching the lights of Unalaska twinkle on the shore.

"You're awfully quiet over there Elf" said Sig.

"Do you want more coffee?" asked Victoria yawning.

"Sure" said Sig. Victoria walked over and picked up his cup. She walked downstairs to the galley where the guys were sitting. "Hi guys" said Victoria pouring Sig a cup of coffee.

"Is Sig making you get his coffee?" asked Matt.

"No, I offered" said Victoria.

"Give him the coffee and come back down" said Edgar.

"Sure" said Victoria. She returned to the wheelhouse and gave Sig his coffee. Telling him she was going down to the galley he just nodded and picked up the radio.

Victoria slid into the bench seat next to Norman. The guys played a few hands of cards which Victoria just watched. She was starting to feel sick and wondered if she should take her medication sooner rather than later.

"Jake, where is Elf's bucket?" asked Edgar.

"In the room. Do I need to get it?" said Jake.

"I would say you will definitely need to get it in a few minutes" said Edgar. Victoria dropped her head to the table with a soft thunk. "Victoria, do you want to go outside for some fresh air" asked Norman quietly. Victoria nodded her head on the table. "Ok, but you need to put on your deck boots ok?" Victoria nodded again and felt someone lifting her up and walking her towards the stateroom. She didn't even open her eyes, merely shuffled her feet across the floor until she felt whoever was helping her push her down slightly. Cracking her eyes open she saw her duffle bag on the floor. She opened it and quickly extracted the boots. Sitting down on the floor she pulled them on before reaching back into her bag to get another long sleeve shirt. She took off her sweatshirt and slipped on the extra shirt before redressing. Looking up she saw that Matt was standing over her offering her his hand. She took it and he hoisted her off the floor. Norman was waiting in the doorway and both he and Matt walked her to the ready room. Norman opened the door and the blast of arctic air that hit Victoria made her eyes burn.

"Watch your step" said Norman. Victoria tried but still bumped her toe on the raised doorframe. Matt followed behind her holding her waist to steady her. Norman led her over to a cluster of chairs and sat her down before turning on a heater and sitting down next to her. Matt slid a bucket next to her.

"Just in case you need to throw up" he said with a smile. Victoria tried to smile back but her face felt frozen. Lifting her hands to the hood she pulled it on.

"Norman! It's too cold out there for her. Bring her and the bucket up to the wheelhouse, if she wants fresh air we will crack a window" yelled Sig over the hailer.

"You heard the boss, lets get you inside" said Norman switching off the heater. It took Matt and Norman a few minutes to get Victoria situated upstairs. She sat quietly for about 15 minutes before throwing up into the bucket.

"Time: 8:45" announced Sig. "Who won the pool?"

"I think Junior did" said Edgar. Victoria would have given them a dirty look had she not been violently throwing up. Norman pressed a bottle of water into her hand, he helped her sit up and take a small sip. Victoria desperately wanted to stop her stomach from heaving long enough to tell someone to get her medicine. She settled for a quick game of charades and was relieved when Jake figured out what she wanted. Jake returned to the wheelhouse carrying two bottles of pills, handing both to Victoria she quickly popped the top of the phenergan and placed one tablet under her tongue. It took only a few minutes for her to start feeling better. She could feel her eyes growing heavy and succumbed to sleep vaguely hearing Sig giving someone orders.

"Take her downstairs and put her to bed" said Sig. Norman walked over and picked Victoria up.

"Jake, come with me, I want to change her into more comfortable clothes" said Norman.

"Roger" said Jake following Norman downstairs.

Inside the stateroom Norman laid Victoria down on one of the bunks. Jake was already rummaging through her bag trying to find something that resembled nightwear. He passed over something that felt distinctly like raingear, deciding to do her a favor and hang them up he pulled them out of the bag.

"Holy Shit, she has pink raingear" he said.

"What?" asked Norman turning around. His mouth dropped open as Jake held up the raingear. "Turn the light on." Jake walked over to the light switch flicking it on, he held the raingear up again and this time both he and Norman could see the huge Northwestern Logo on the back.

"Sig is going to flip" said Jake. Norman couldn't even respond, he'd never in his life seen pink raingear and he'd never expect pink raingear to have the Northwestern logo on it. He looked back down at Victoria who'd turned away from the bright light. Norman couldn't help but smile, the girl had some spunk to her.

"Put them back in the bag and find some sweats or something" said Norman. Jake quickly found a pair of baby blue sweats then buried the raingear in the bag. Laying the sweats on the bed he helped Norman slide Victoria out of her jeans and into the sweats.

"The sweats match the sweatshirt, she's so girly" remarked Jake. "Do you think she's going to be hot in all those layers?"

"Maybe, lets take off the sweatshirt" suggested Norman. Jake and Norman wrestled the sweatshirt off of Victoria, laying it down on the bed next to her in case she got cold. Norman tucked her into the sleeping bag with an extra blanket before stepping back.

"I'll stay with her in case she gets sick again" said Jake turning off the light and hoping into his bunk.

"Cool. Let me know if anything changes" said Norman. He hesitated at the door, turning back to look at Victoria one last time before he closed the door and walked back up to the wheelhouse.

Jake laid in his bunk slipping in and out of sleep. He heard Victoria whimper slightly and quickly got up to check on her. When he got to the bunk he noticed her eyes were open and she was hugging the sweatshirt tightly to her chest.

"Victoria, you ok? We just put you to bed a little while ago" said Jake. Victoria sat up and promptly whacked her head on the bunk above her.

"Ow" she said.

"Shit, be careful, that sounded like it hurt. Maybe we should put you in a top bunk" said Jake thoughtfully.

"I think I'm ready to get up, I feel a little better" said Victoria.

"Let me help you" said Jake. Victoria allowed Jake to help her into the galley where she saw Nick and Matt were watching a movie.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" asked Nick.

"Better, the drugs are working" said Victoria.

"Enjoy them now, because once we start working you won't want to take anything that makes you tired" said Matt.

"I hope I get use to all the movement sooner than later" said Victoria.

"Don't feel bad, Edgar gets sick on the first trip every single season" said Nick with a smile.

"That make me feel slightly better" said Victoria with a weak smile. Matt was puttering around in the kitchen and after a few minutes set a can of 7-up and a few crackers in front of Victoria.

"It will make you feel better" said Matt with a smile. Victoria slowly ate the crackers and drank the soda.

"You were right, I feel a little better" said Victoria with a smile. Edgar and Norman walked into the galley and both smiled when they saw Victoria sitting at the table.

"You're up!" said Edgar sliding into the seat next to her.

"I am" responded Victoria.

"Where's her bucket Junior?" asked Edgar.

"I'll get it" said Jake walking back to the stateroom.

"I don't think that vomiting is eminent right now" said Victoria.

"Better safe than cleaning up vomit" said Matt.

"Lets take you up to the wheelhouse so Sig can see that you are feeling better" said Norman.

"Ok" said Victoria climbing past Edgar. She followed Norman up the stairs and into the wheelhouse. Her eyes went slightly wide as she watched the horizon rise and fall out the side windows.

"Don't look out the side windows, just the front. It will help keep you from feeling sick" said Norman. Victoria nodded and walked over to Sig.

"Hey Elf, I'm glad to see you're feeling better" said Sig.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks" said Victoria.

"Well we are probably 6 hours away from our first string" said Sig with a smile.

"Feel free to drive slower, I'm in no rush to get there" said Victoria.

"The faster we get there the sooner we'll be done" said Sig.

"I see your point" said Victoria walking over and picking up her laptop. She pulled up her email and she was relieved to see it was still working. She read through her emails and sent a few notes to her friends. Norman came over behind her and watched as she looked at her facebook page.

"How come you aren't friends with me?" asked Norman seriously.

"I didn't know you were on here. When do you actually check it?" asked Victoria.

"I look at it when I'm home" said Norman. Victoria searched out his name and added him as a friend.

"Now all you have to do is approve me" said Victoria.

"Let me do it now" said Norman. Victoria signed off of her page and passed him the computer. He logged in and pulled up his friends requests, there were 70 of them.

"Wow, you are a very popular guy" said Victoria. Norman didn't respond, merely scrolled to the bottom and approved Victoria as a friend. He handed back the computer with a small smile. Edgar bounded up the stairs and announced that Matt had made sandwiches if anyone was interested. Victoria and Norman walked down into the galley and took their seats. When Sig and Edgar both walked downstairs Victoria's mouth dropped open.

"Who's driving the boat?" she asked suddenly.

"The boat is driving itself" said Sig. "Auto pilot, it will be fine. Although if you are overly concerned you can go up and drive."

"Is it the same as driving a car? Because if so I'm golden, if not you are probably in for a bit of trouble" said Victoria with a smile.

"By the time we get back to Dutch you will know how to drive the boat" said Sig.

"Great, that will be something I can add to my resume" said Victoria. "It can go under special skills, right next to great gift buying sense."

"I would love to see your resume" said Matt.

"You can look at it right now, it's up in the wheelhouse on my computer. Although it's not up to date yet, I haven't added Crab Fisherman" said Victoria.

"You can't call yourself that until you've actually proved yourself on deck" said Edgar.

"Well I suppose I should make sure we aren't heading towards any icebergs" said Sig standing up.

"What?" yelped Victoria.

"He's just kidding" said Jake. "I hope he's kidding." Victoria elbowed Jake in the ribs and gave Sig a dirty look. Victoria spent the next few hours laying on her bunk listening to her ipod trying to get use to the rolling boat. At Matt's suggestion she didn't take any more medicine, she wanted all her wits about her when she stepped out onto the deck.

Sig called over the hailer that it was time for the crew to suit up and head outside. Victoria stood up and walked over to her duffle bag, she pulled out the list she'd made and started to methodically put on her layers of clothes. By the time she pulled out the pink raingear she was already hot. Jake didn't say anything as she slipped on the pants and the jacket. If he was honest he thought she looked really cute, like a tiny pink fisherman Barbie doll. Victoria turned and looked at him for brief moment then handed him her camera.

"I want you to take a picture of Edgar's face when he sees my raingear" she said.

"Roger" said Jake inspecting the camera. "Are you sure you want to take it outside? It might get wet."

"It's waterproof" said Victoria dismissively.

"Salt waterproof?" asked Jake.

"That I'm not sure of, it wasn't something I considered asking when I bought it" said Victoria.

"I'll try to keep it dry" said Jake.

"Just get the picture, it's going to be worth ruining the camera" said Victoria. Jake just nodded and headed out to the ready room. Victoria shuffled out of the door, wondering if her boots were where she vaguely remembered kicking them off. She was the last person out on deck and once she emerged from the door everyone's eyes were on her. She smiled happily and pulled her hood over her head. She walked up to Edgar who looked like he was mortified.

"What the hell are you wearing?" asked Matt.

"Raingear" said Victoria.

"It's pink" said Matt.

"Yep, it's nice to know you aren't colorblind" said Victoria.

"Where did you get this?" asked Edgar.

"From Helly Hansen" said Victoria. Edgar pulled off her hood and pulled the collar back so he could verify the label. He let go of her seemingly satisfied that it was indeed Helly raingear.

"Right. Well I'm the deck boss and as such I'm in charge of this deck. If you have a question ask me. If you have a problem tell me. If you want to complain, do not complain to me. The work is hard and dangerous but if you listen to me you will survive" said Edgar still unable to take his eyes off the raingear.

"Roger" said Victoria.

"Alright, we are going to start you on bait" said Edgar leading her over to the bait station. He spent the next few minutes explaining to her how to use the chopper and cut and string the cod. He made a few bait set ups, then passed her a knife and watched her make a few.

"Stop" he said suddenly. Walking towards a shelf he pulled out a roll of duct tape. "Give me your hand." Victoria tentatively held out her hand, Edgar grabbed it pushing up her sleeve and wrapping the duct tape around her glove sealing it. He did the same thing to her other hand then let her go back to doing the bait.

"It's really important that you stay as dry as possible. Keep the jacket zipped up, try to keep your hair dry, and always tell me if your hands get wet" said Edgar. Victoria nodded, then went back to making bait set ups. Edgar nodded his approval when she finished each one. Hearing a buzzer Edgar led her to the sorting table and hooked two bait set ups to it before walking to the rail and picking up the hook. Victoria watched him toss it over the side of the boat, he pulled in the hook and slid the buoy into the block before tossing it behind him. Victoria moved slightly to the side to avoid being hit by the buoy bags. The crab pot came up and the picking hook was attached to the bridle, as the pot came over the side it was half full of crab. She watched as Matt swung the pot around before it dropped into the launcher. The door ties were opened and the crab was dumped onto the sorting table.

"Victoria, climb in and pull out the crabs" shouted Edgar. Victoria did as she was told, climbing into the pot and pulling the crab off the sides of the pot. She tossed them slowly onto the sorting table. Matt climbed in next to her and showed her how to hang a bait bag. Sliding out of the pot she watched as Matt tied the door closed.

"Elf, come here so I can show you how to throw the buoy bags" barked Edgar. Victoria shuffled over and listened as Edgar explained the order in which to throw the bags. Sig rang the buzzer and Norman launched the pot over the side, Victoria held the bags in her hand while Edgar tossed the coils of rope over the side. She tossed the buoys over the side barely clearing the rail. Edgar gave her a high five then moved her back to the bait station.

"In between pots I want you to make as many set ups as you can, always keep two on the sorting table. Your job is going to be getting into the pot with the bait to hang it then toss the buoy bags. Ok?" said Edgar.

"Ok" replied Victoria. Jake stayed at within arms reach of Victoria at all times, he steadied her whenever the boat pitched. Victoria managed to make 3 bait set ups before the buzzer announced the next pot. Moving to the sorting table she hung a bait set up on the side. She watched the pot come up and drop onto the launcher the doors were opened and the crab spilled out. Victoria scrambled inside tossing the crabs out as fast as she could before stringing the bait bag through the top of the pot. Edgar smiled down at her as he grabbed the string and attached it to the top of the pot. Climbing out of the pot she walked over the buoys and at the appropriate time she threw them over the side slightly better than the time before.

Up in the wheelhouse Sig watched the crew through the monitor. He smiled every single time Victoria hopped into a pot. She was doing better than he thought she would, he expected her to still be inside throwing up. The radio crackled above his head and he heard a familiar voice.

"Northwestern this is Cornelia Marie, over" said Phil.

"Northwestern, go ahead" replied Sig.

"How's your newest greenhorn?" asked Phil.

"I'm watching her hop in a pot right now" said Sig. "She's doing pretty well."

"What did ya think of her raingear?" asked Phil with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?" asked Sig.

"You haven't seen it then" said Phil.

"I'm looking at it right now" said Sig.

"And you don't mind the color?" asked Phil.

"It's fine as far as I'm concerned" said Sig.

"I didn't figure you as a pink man" said Phil.

"What!?" said Sig. He dropped the radio and picked up the hailer. "Edgar, what color is the raingear Elf is wearing?" he bellowed.

"Pink" said Edgar over the intercom.

"Send her up here, NOW!" yelled Sig. Edgar gave Victoria a sad smile and pointed to the stairs. Victoria took a deep breath and walked into the wheelhouse. Sig was standing up when she opened the door and he grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around in a circle.

"Where the hell did you get this?" asked Sig angrily.

"I ordered them from Helly Hansen" answered Victoria trying hard not to drop her eyes.

"WHY DID YOU GET PINK?" yelled Sig. Victoria didn't know if it was a rhetorical question or not so she chose to stay silent. "WELL? Answer me."

"Because I'm a girl and I like pink" replied Victoria her eyes dropping to the carpet.

"My dad is probably rolling over in his grave right now because of this" said Sig running his hands through his hair.

"Uh, Sig. I know you are probably busy dismembering our assistant but you're about to split the buoys" called Edgar's voice over the hailer.

"This is not finished. Get back to work" barked Sig before returning to his chair. Victoria walked out of the wheelhouse and back down to the deck feeling relieved to be back outside. The rest of the day and night was spent pulling pots.

**Did Edgar's request surprise you?? Please read and review.


	8. Chapter 8

Victoria had no idea how long she'd worked or how many pots the boat had pulled, all she knew was she couldn't feel her fingers anymore and her whole body was hurting. She shuffled over to the sorting table hanging the bait bag on it while another pot came over the side. It had started to snow a few hours ago and everyone on the deck was hoping this was the last string. Victoria hopped into the pot throwing the crabs onto to sorting table and hanging the bait. The guys had all rotated positions so she handed the bait line to Norman.

"Hi Elf, you doing ok?" asked Norman as he secured the line.

"As well as can be expected" said Victoria sliding out of the pot. She walked over to the buoy bags and struggled to pick them up. Hearing the buzzer she watched Norman throw the coils then walked herself to the edge throwing the buoys as hard as she could over the side.

"Your throwing is getting better" said Edgar from the hydros. Victoria just nodded before heading back to the bait station. She leaned heavily on the bait table and took a few deep cleansing breaths. Jake came over and helped her to make a few bait set ups.

"Hang in there, we are almost done with this string" said Jake.

"How can you tell?" asked Victoria.

"Because Matt just went in to make dinner" said Jake smiling.

"I guess I can make it a few more pots" said Victoria.

"That's the spirit" said Jake patting her on the back. The string continued for another 45 minutes before Sig announced the last pot was coming up. Victoria climbed into the pot whacking her head on the cross bar. Tears leaked from her eyes as she tossed the crabs out of the pot and hung the bait.

"Wow Victoria, I think Sig probably heard that in the wheelhouse. Are you ok?" asked Nick.

"No" stated Victoria quietly. She tried to wipe her tears from her cheeks and just ended up getting ground fish all over her face. Edgar pulled her by the sleeve into the ready room where she quickly slipped out of her raingear. Edgar hung up her gear on the hook and moved to help her take off her boots.

"Elf you need to change into dry clothes, take off your sweatshirt" said Edgar.

"Can I take a shower?" asked Victoria.

"No. Just change into new clothes and dry your hair, it's starting to defrost" said Edgar.

"Fine" said Victoria stalking towards her room. She walked into the stateroom and saw Nick and Jake both slipping on fresh clothes. Victoria didn't even register what she saw or didn't see the only thing she wanted to do was get into something clean and dry. Bending over her duffle bag she pulled out clean underwear, a pair of pink sweats, a pink t-shirt and pink sweatshirt. Jake looked at her outfit and smiled before elbowing Nick.

"Victoria, didn't you get yelled at already today about wearing pink?" asked Nick.

"I don't care, this stuff was on the top of the bag" said Victoria walking towards her bunk.

"Don't lay down, you need to eat something first" said Nick before walking out the door. Victoria just nodded waiting for the guys to leave before she gave herself a quick once over with a few baby wipes then changed into fresh clothes.

In the galley Matt was putting the final touches on dinner. Sig walked down the stairs from the wheelhouse with Edgar and Norman.

"Lets eat" said Sig sitting down at the table.

"Where's everyone else?" asked Norman.

"Right here, we were just making sure Elf came to eat" said Nick. Jake was partially blocking Victoria's new outfit but the second he moved to slide into the seat Sig saw what she was wearing.

"Elf, is everything you brought on this boat fucking pink?" asked Sig.

"No, some are lavender and baby blue, but the majority is pink" answered Victoria.

"It's completely disrespectful for you to be wearing that crap on this boat" said Sig angrily.

"I'm a girl, perhaps you haven't noticed. And this girl likes pink. The color of the clothes isn't going to make me work any less" argued Victoria.

"It's distracting to every single person on deck" said Sig.

"How so? After 5 minutes out there everyone's eye's are frozen" said Victoria.

"Edgar, do you think she was distracting today?" asked Sig. Edgar looked thoughtful for a few minutes before answering.

"I think she's distracting because she's green. I don't think it's the color of her raingear or her clothes that distracted us, it was keeping her safe and teaching her the job" said Edgar.

"Fine, I can see you are all against me" said Sig moodily.

"I'll change if you want me to" said Victoria dejectedly. Sig looked up and saw that Victoria was still standing next to him her head downcast and her eyes repentant.

"Not necessary" said Sig. "Sit down and eat." Victoria slid in next to Matt and served herself a plate of food. She ate a few bites then pushed her plate away.

"You need to eat more than that" said Matt pushing her plate back towards her.

"I'm really not that hungry" said Victoria.

"I know but you need to eat more, you are burning a ton of calories while you work" explained Matt. Victoria finished her plate slowly.

"I've never seen anyone eat that slow on this boat" said Edgar. Victoria pushed back her plate and laid her head down on the table.

"Alright sleeping beauty it's almost time for bed, but first you have to put your dish in the sink" said Sig. Victoria dragged herself out of the bench and walked mechanically towards the sink, she washed and dried her dishes before walking back towards her stateroom. Norman intercepted her in the hallway.

"Hey I need to check your head?" he said.

"It's probably fine" said Victoria.

"It's not really a suggestion" said Norman. Victoria followed Norman into his room and sat down next to Edgar on his bed. Edgar pulled her hair back revealing a fairly big bump with a small scratch in the middle of it.

"Did you know that you have fish in your hair?" asked Edgar.

"I'm not surprised" said Victoria.

Norman leaned over her and dabbed the cut with alcohol, making Victoria hiss.

"All clean, although I think you need an ice pack" said Norman. Edgar got up and returned a moment later ice pack in hand. He leaned Victoria back and held it to her head. Victoria's eyes closed and her faced tightened to a grimace.

"That hurts" she said quietly.

"Sorry" said Edgar letting up the pressure slightly.

"How long do I have to keep this on? asked Victoria.

"Until the swelling goes down" replied Norman.

"Can I at least lay down?" asked Victoria. The immediate response to her query was Edgar pulling her down on his bunk, pressing the ice pack to her forehead the whole time. "Thanks" muttered Victoria.

"You have to stay awake though" said Norman.

"Honestly, I don't think I have a concussion" said Victoria.

"I didn't know you went to medical school? Which one did you attend?" asked Edgar sarcastically. Victoria rolled her eyes before shooting back her response. "Which one did you go to? The school of smart ass?"

"Hmm, I think you could have come up with a better response than that one. I think you may have brain damage" said Edgar leaning closer to her.

"Hey, Sig wants to see Victoria" said Matt who'd suddenly appeared in the doorway of the room.

"Roger" said Edgar helping Victoria sit up. Matt pulled her to her feet and led her down the hall.

"Do you think he's going to throw all her pink stuff overboard?" asked Norman.

"Who knows. Crap she forgot the ice pack" said Edgar.

"I'll take it to her" volunteered Norman. Edgar just handed the ice pack over with a shrug before laying down on the bunk and closing his eyes.

Matt practically pushed Victoria up the stairs to the darkened wheelhouse. With a final shove Victoria made it over the top step and stopped.

"Come closer Elf, we need to have a chat" said Sig. Victoria walked over and stood right next to his chair.

"Sit on the chart table so I can see you without feeling you breathing down my neck" said Sig. Victoria moved to the chart table and hopped up making sure not to sit on any of the papers. Before Sig could say anything Norman walked up into the wheelhouse.

"Sorry to interrupt but you forgot your ice pack" he said placing the pack in Victoria's hand.

"Thanks" she mumbled holding it to her bump. Norman immediately turned and headed downstairs.

"What do you need an ice pack for?" asked Sig.

"I bumped my head on the last pot. It's really fine, but Dr. Edgar and Dr. Norman insist it needs ice" said Victoria.

"Your first day and you're already hurt" said Sig shaking his head. "It's that pink nonsense your wearing it's bringing you bad luck."

"Right, I had no idea the boat had a preference for what color I wear" said Victoria.

"It's not the boats fault that you hit your head" said Sig.

"It's not the color's fault either" said Victoria.

"I know" said Sig quietly. "It was a shock this morning to hear from Phil that you had pink raingear, I'll admit that I overreacted a little bit and for that I'm sorry."

"Phil told you what color raingear I was wearing?" asked Victoria her voice steely.

"Yes, although he assumed I'd already seen it" said Sig.

"That rat" said Victoria. "I'm going to kill him the next time I see him."

"I'll give him that warning" laughed Sig.

"You do that, tell him I'm coming for him" said Victoria.

"You sounded pretty vicious right then" said Sig lighting a cigarette. Victoria just stuck out her tongue then walked over and snagged a cigarette from Sig's pack. He gave her a look but passed her the lighter anyway.

"Thank you" she said.

"Don't get use to it" said Sig.

"Noted" said Victoria. She moved to the portside chair to sit and smoke while looking out the window.

"I think it's safe if you want to go to sleep now" said Sig when Victoria had snubbed out her cigarette.

"Great, I'm exhausted" said Victoria heaving herself out of the chair.

"Sleep well Elf" said Sig.

"Stay awake Captain" was Victoria's response.

She walked into the galley and noticed that Norman was sitting at the table, for a minute she thought he was looking down at the table but as she got closer she realized he was fast asleep. Sliding into the seat next to him she lightly tapped him on the shoulder, when that go no response she ran her fingers through his messy blond hair.

"Norman, you are sleeping at the table" she whispered in his ear.

"I'm just resting my eyes" said Norman sleepily.

"Of course. Is there a reason you're out here?" asked Victoria. Norman sat up and rubbed a hand over his face.

"I was waiting for you. Tim is sleeping in the extra bunk so you can sleep in mine if you want" said Norman.

"Where will you sleep?" asked Victoria.

"Here or on the floor or in Sig's room" answered Norman.

"Will you sleep with me?" asked Victoria.

"If you want me to" said Norman clearly surprised by her question.

"Good, can we go now?" asked Victoria.

"Yes" said Norman. Victoria started walking towards to his stateroom with Norman following in her wake. She opened the door, didn't bother turning on the light, and slipped off her sweatshirt before climbing into the bed. Norman climbed into the bed making sure that she was completely covered with a blanket he slung an arm around her waist and promptly fell asleep. Edgar was woken up by Sig's voice in his ear.

"What's going on with them?" Sig hissed.

"I don't know, is it time to get up or did you just feel the need to have a chat?" asked Edgar rolling over.

"I'm going to lay down for a while, Matt just took over" said Sig.

"That still doesn't explain why you are here" said Edgar grumpily.

"Matt said Victoria wasn't sleeping in the room so I came to see if she was here and look what I find, she's in bed with Norman again" said Sig.

"Are you jealous or something?" asked Edgar.

"No, just curious" said Sig.

"Ask him later then" said Edgar rolling over and throwing the pillow over his head.

"I will" said Sig before turning to walk out the door. Edgar, Norman and Victoria all slept for another few hours before Matt came in to tell them breakfast was ready. Edgar and Norman both got out of bed quickly, but Victoria just rolled into the warm spot that Norman had just vacated.

"Victoria, it's time to get up" said Edgar. "You don't want to find out what we do to greenhorns that won't get up." Victoria didn't move.

"I'll get her up" said Norman.

"Have fun" said Edgar as he walked out of the room. Norman sat down on the bed next to Victoria and brushed her hair away from her eye.

"It's time to get up sleeping beauty" said Norman gently. Victoria didn't move. "Come on Victoria, it's time to get up, if you aren't up in a few seconds Edgar is going to be back with a bucket full of cold sea water." Norman tugged the blanket off of her, he took a moment to stare at Victoria's hardened nipples and exposed stomach before forcing himself to look away.

"I thought I was sleeping beauty" said Victoria not bothering to open her eyes. Norman smiled at her then leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Victoria's eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at Norman.

"Good morning" she said.

"Good morning, now are you ready for some breakfast?" asked Norman.

"I guess" said Victoria. The second her feet hit the ground a shock of pain shot through her body causing her to cry out.

"What's wrong?" asked Norman.

"Everything hurts" said Victoria.

"Did you take any ibuprofen last night?" said Norman.

"No" said Victoria.

"Well you should probably take some after you eat breakfast. But you will start to feel better once you start walking around" lied Norman.

"Really? I bet it would feel better if I just went back to sleep" said Victoria.

"That's not an option and you know it" said Norman. "Come on I'll help you to breakfast."

"If you mean help as in carry me then fine" said Victoria. Norman sighed and picked her up carrying her into the kitchen.

Matt looked up from the stove and had to do a double take as he saw Norman carrying Victoria into the galley. He watched Norman set her down and slide in the seat next to her.

"Are you going to cut her food too?" asked Edgar. Norman just flipped Edgar off and got himself a cup of coffee. Matt handed out the breakfast plates and Victoria dug in hungrily. Sig made a quick appearance telling the crew they had to go bust ice before they could start hauling. Victoria had no idea why everyone groaned at the announcement but she was sure she'd find out soon enough. Victoria walked into her room quickly grabbing her toiletry bag and carrying it to the bathroom. Disappearing into the bathroom she gave her body another once over with a couple of baby wipes, then brushed her teeth and washed her face. She emerged feeling cleaner and a little more alert. Walking back into the room she got dressed putting on as many layers as she thought would fit under her raingear. She met up with the guys in the ready room and slipped into her pink pants and jacket. Everyone walked out on deck and Victoria was able to see that all that swaying she felt was the boat jogging in moderate seas. It was disconcerting to see so many waves stacked up, the water seemed like it was churning in all directions. Edgar passed her a metal spike telling her to go with Norman up to the bow. Victoria took the heavy pole and followed Norman up to the front of the boat, from there the view of the sea was even more ominous.

"Ok Victoria, plunge the spike straight down into the ice and it should break off into chunks, then pick up the chunks and throw them over the side" explained Norman. Victoria just nodded before plunging the spike down onto the ice, nothing happened. Taking a deep breath she did it again this time making a hairline crack in the surface. Trying to hit the same spot she lifted and dropped the spike a few more times before a chunk broke off. She lay down the spike and attempted to pick up the chunk. It slipped out of her hand narrowly missing her foot. Trying again she realized that the chunk probably weighed more than she did.

"If you can't pick it up break it into smaller pieces until you can" suggested Norman. Victoria did just that, breaking the piece into four she was able to pick them up and toss them over the side. The crew busted ice for the next 3 hours before Edgar tapped Victoria on the shoulder.

"Hey, you want to make lunch?" he asked.

"What do you want?" asked Victoria.

"Whatever you can make in 20 minutes" said Edgar.

"Ok" said Victoria handing him the spike. She'd only managed to clear a little bit of the deck but Edgar told her she'd done a good job. Inside the kitchen Victoria started to pull a few things out of the fridge, she didn't have much time and wanted to make sure the meal was good and hot. Deciding to make her favorite meal on cold days she whipped up homemade tomato soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Sig came down to investigate the delicious smell.

"What did you make elf?" he asked.

"Tomato soup and sandwiches" said Victoria. Sig dipped the spoon into the pot and tasted the soup.

"It's delicious, which can did you use?" asked Sig. Victoria showed him the cans of tomato puree and diced tomatoes.

"It's homemade" said Victoria noticing his confused look.

"You made homemade soup in 15 minutes?" said Sig in amazement.

"I guess I did" said Victoria putting another sandwich on the growing platter. "Can you tell the guys that lunch is ready?"

"Roger" said Sig. The guys all piled into the galley taking their seats at the table. Victoria dished up the soup and put the sandwiches on the table, 15 minutes later everything had been devoured. Sig announced they were approaching the next string.

Victoria watched the seas get bigger and bigger as the day progressed. It was snowing again and she felt as if the snow was freezing on her eyelashes making them heavy. Blinking furiously she fought the urge to rub her eyes, she didn't want to get fish guts in them.

"Elf, it's time to learn a new skill" announced Edgar.

"Ok" said Victoria.

"Jake, you're doing bait. Victoria, you are going to learn to sort crab" said Edgar. Victoria walked the few steps to the sorting table and listened as Edgar explained the measuring stick and the importance of getting the right size crab in the tanks and the small ones back in the ocean. Watching the next pot dump onto the crab table Edgar showed her how to pick the crab up without getting pinched and how to measure them. Victoria emulated Edgar's every move quickly falling into a slow but careful rhythm. Matt was helping sort with her and kept up a constant stream of jokes and comments.

"So what else does your resume say?" asked Matt.

"It says that I'm very loyal, that I'm college educated, that I went to culinary school, and then lists all the computer skills I have. It's pretty standard. All my previous employers have written me letters of recommendation so I have those too" said Victoria.

"That's cool, your job sounds pretty cool" said Matt.

"Well, it's not that cool because I'm standing on a boat in the bearing sea in the middle of winter" said Victoria.

"Yeah, well you only have to come out here once, I'm here every season" said Matt.

"Very true. And my hat goes off to all of you, I will never eat another crab leg without thinking of how hard they are to catch" said Victoria. Matt just smiled and threw a crab at her, she deftly ducked.

"Nice reflexes" said Matt lobbing another one at her.

"Kids, don't play with the catch" said Sig over the hailer.

"Yes master" said Matt. Victoria laughed in response. In between pots Matt and Victoria spent time leaning or sitting on the sorting table.

"Princess and the pea brain, get the fuck off that table" barked Edgar.

"Yes master" said Matt and Victoria at the same time before dissolving into laughter. When the duo was well into sorting the next stack of crab Matt started to ask a few more questions.

"So what do you like to do when you get time off?" he asked.

"I like to get my nails done or get a massage. Go on vacations" replied Victoria. "What about you?"

"I like to work on my house" said Matt.

"That's cool, I've never owned anything in my life" said Victoria, somewhat surprised at her statement.

"Never? What about a car?" asked Matt.

"Leased" said Victoria.

"Cell phone?" asked Matt.

"Bought by my employer" said Victoria.

"Pets?" asked Matt.

"Never had one" said Victoria.

"Where do you live?" asked Matt.

"LA, in a really nice apartment" said Victoria.

"Wow" said Matt, clearly stunned at her admission.

"I should really buy something when I get back" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"You should get a pet or something" said Matt.

"I could never give it the attention it deserves" said Victoria. "Maybe I'll buy a car when this job is over." The worked quietly for the next hour, Victoria mentally picking out cars and Matt wondering what kind of girl Victoria really was.

The weather was slowly getting worse and Sig was trying to keep the crew from having to pull the pots while in the ditch. He watched them carefully in the monitor doing his best to keep them safe. He was tempted to pull Victoria off deck, she was a little too green for this kind of weather. According to the notes he had 10 pots left in this string, the weather report was calling for a pretty good size storm with very high winds. He was anxious for the crew to finish this string and get inside. Feathering the throttle he picked up a little speed. Down on deck everyone noticed the change in speed.

"Alright, lets get these crab on board so we can get the hell out of this weather" said Edgar. The pots came over quickly and Victoria and Matt did their best to get them sorted and into the tanks. Edgar and Nick came over to help in between pots so the sorting would go faster. The crab were clean and most were keepers.

"Matt or whoever it's time to make dinner" said Sig over the hailer. Matt turned to Victoria who nodded enthusiastically and started to walk off deck. Edgar caught up to her before she made it to the door.

"Make sure you change into dry clothes when you go inside" said Edgar. Victoria nodded as she walked into the ready room. Slipping off the raingear she carefully hung it up before throwing her wet sweatshirt into the dryer. Making a quick detour to the kitchen she saw that Matt had pulled steaks out for dinner. Smiling to herself she walked to the stateroom and changed clothes. Back in the kitchen she quickly boiled some potatoes and threw together a quick marinade for the steaks. Making the mashed potatoes and the veggies Victoria realized how hard it was to cook on a moving boat. She felt fortunate that she didn't loose a finger trying to dice the onions and garlic.

"Hold on, there is a big one coming" yelled Sig over the hailer. Victoria felt the boat hang in the air for a moment before the impact of the wave. "Everyone OK?" asked Sig.

"Roger" said Edgar. Victoria let out a sigh of relief and hurried to get the steaks on the griddle. The crew came into the galley just as Victoria was pulling off the steaks. She placed the platters on the table taking care to make a plate for Sig before all the other food was inhaled. Taking her place next to Norman she served herself some food and began to eat. Matt reached across the table and plopped another scoop of mashed potatoes on her plate.

"You need to eat more" he said.

"I'm eating as much as I can" said Victoria.

"Seriously, you need more calories" said Matt.

"I'll have extra dessert" said Victoria.

"You made dessert?" asked Jake.

"Yep, cookies" said Victoria.

"Awesome" replied Jake.

"You jackasses better not have forgotten about me" yelled Sig's voice from the wheelhouse. Edgar and Norman seemed to be having some sort of staring contest before Edgar finally got out of his seat to relieve Sig. Victoria produced Sig's plate the second he sat down.

"Looks good elf" he said before digging in. Victoria put the plate of cookies on the table before snagging a few to take up to Edgar. She filled Edgar's coffee mug before ascending the stairs to the wheelhouse.

Edgar was sitting in the captain's chair smoking a cigarette and looking at the numbers in the notebook. Victoria walked over to him carefully setting down the cup of coffee and plate of cookies. Edgar smiled and passed her his cigarette before picking up a cookie. Victoria took a drag of the cigarette then moved to sit on the chart table. Bryan had been recording Edgar's review of the day and quickly turned the camera on Victoria.

"So Victoria, how do you think your time on the boat is going?" he asked.

"It's a lot of work and I hope that I'm not more trouble than I'm worth" she said.

"Tell us which job you like doing the best of the boat?" Bryan asked.

"I like doing the cooking" said Victoria with a smile. Bryan smiled and turned the camera off.

"So you seem like you are holding up pretty well. You haven't puked since that first day" said Bryan with a smile.

"Thank God, I don't know how I could do this job while throwing up" said Victoria.

"People do" said Edgar.

"You think you will be up for wearing a mic for us tomorrow?" asked Bryan.

"Why would you want me to wear one?" asked Victoria. "You can't use footage of me."

"Why not?" asked Bryan.

"Because I'm only one the boat for one trip, the way you edit all the shows the story line would be too short to be viable" said Victoria.

"Perhaps we'll find a way to work you in. Will you wear the mic?" asked Bryan his voice taking on a slight whine.

"Sure" said Victoria.

"Awesome, I'm going to tell Tim" said Bryan.

"That was weird" said Victoria. "I wonder why he's so excited?"

"Because you get the mic on then you forget it's on and start saying a bunch of stupid shit and they just eat it up" explained Edgar. "If you want to avoid talking ask Norman, he barely ever says anything so they never really use film of him because he's never talking."

"Why doesn't he like to talk?" asked Victoria.

"He likes his privacy" said Edgar simply.

"I guess not all of the Hansen's want to be rock stars" said Victoria teasingly.

"Very funny elf" said Edgar. Victoria just shrugged before grabbing Edgar's empty plate and heading back to the galley.

In the galley Tim and Bryan were sitting at the table talking animatedly to the guys. Victoria walked into the kitchen to wash the plate she was holding. Catching snippets of the conversation she was able to deduce the guys were telling the crew about her wearing a mic. She couldn't help but wonder why they were so excited. Victoria walked back into her stateroom quickly grabbing a pair of pajamas before walking to the bathroom. She stripped out of her clothes and used the baby wipes again then brushed her teeth. Walking back into the hallway she ran into Jake.

"You smell good" he said.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"How is that even possible?" asked Jake.

"It's magic" answered Victoria. Jake leaned forward pressing his nose to her neck and inhaled deeply.

"God you smell good" he said again.

"Ok, now you are officially freaking me out" said Victoria.

"You are the best smelling person on this boat" said Jake before grabbing her arm and dragging her to the galley. "Guys, smell her" he announced as they arrived in front of the table.

"Junior, what are you talking about?" asked Sig.

"Smell her, she smells so good" said Jake. Sig tugged on Victoria's hand pulling her to the seat, once she was seated Sig took a tentative sniff.

"You're right she does smell good" said Sig. Tim had turned on the camera and was watching as each guy took a whiff of Victoria. For her part Victoria just got more and more embarrassed. When Norman sniffed her he pressed his cold nose against the flesh right behind her ear making her break out into gooseflesh.

"Well if you guys are all finished with your sniffing I'm going to sleep" said Victoria.

"Where are you going to sleep tonight?" asked Bryan.

"Why?" asked Victoria suspiciously.

"Because Tim and I want to know if one of us can sleep in your bunk" said Bryan. Victoria was saved from responding by Norman.

"She can sleep in Edgar's bed."

"Ok. Tim we rock, paper, scissors to see who gets the bunk" said Bryan. Victoria just walked down the hallway and into the room that Norman and Edgar shared. She didn't think twice before she climbed into Norman's bunk. If he really wanted her to sleep in Edgar's bunk he could wake her up and tell her to move. Norman walked in about an hour later to discover Victoria sleeping in his bunk. He couldn't help but smile, he'd hoped this was where he'd find her. He uncovered her slightly and saw that she was wearing just a t-shirt and pajama pants. Slipping into bed he pulled her towards him reveling in her soft curves and warmth.

A/N: Please read and review.


	9. Chapter 9

Victoria was having a weird dream, she was at an amusement park riding the scrambler and she couldn't get off. She was screaming and screaming but no one could here her, then she realized it was because no one else was there. The feeling of being alone sunk into her flesh and she felt herself start to cry. When she woke up real tears were staining her cheeks and a very concerned Norman was leaning over her.

"Victoria, are you ok? You were crying in your sleep" he said. Victoria just pulled him into her arms giving him a fierce hug. The tears continued to leak from her eyes as she clung to Norman like a lifeline.

"Hey, you're ok, I'm here" said Norman comfortingly. Victoria cried herself out and when Norman felt her loosen her hold on him he pulled back. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes were puffy, yet to him she looked beautiful.

"Thanks" said Victoria. Norman just smiled at her before leaning down and kissing her cheek. Victoria smiled back at him before closing her eyes. Once Norman laid down he pulled Victoria over so her head was resting on his chest.

"Now you can hear my heartbeat so you'll know I'm here" said Norman. Victoria nodded but didn't fall asleep, she lay quietly on Norman's chest until she felt his breathing even out. Then she carefully climbed over him and walked out of the room. The boat was quiet and seemed to be rocking more than ever. Victoria was ping ponging off the walls of the hallway as she walked towards the galley. Once she arrived she decided to go up to the wheelhouse to see who was driving. Arriving in the wheelhouse she saw that Sig was at the helm.

"Elf, what are you doing up? Never mind, come sit over here I have to take a piss" said Sig already standing up.

"What? I have no idea what to do" said Victoria.

"You don't have to do anything just sit there" said Sig pointing to the chair. Victoria nodded and slipped into the chair. Sig left the wheelhouse and Victoria was left alone. She felt her anxiety rise and did her best to take some deep calming breaths. The crackle of the radio surprised her.

"This is fishing vessel Cornelia Marie calling Northwestern, come in" said Phil's voice. Victoria picked up the radio and pushed the button.

"This is Northwestern" said Victoria remembering to take her finger off the button.

"Vicks? What are you doing in the driver's seat?" asked Phil.

"Trying not to freak out" said Victoria before adding "Sig is peeing."

"Ah. How are you doing on the boat?" asked Phil.

"It's really hard but I haven't died yet so I guess I'm doing ok" replied Victoria.

"Just keep plugging away" said Phil. Sig tapped Victoria on the shoulder.

"Sig, is back so I'm going to get the hell out of this chair" said Victoria.

"Keep yourself safe Vicks" said Phil.

"Roger" said Victoria. She quickly moved to the portside chair and lit a cigarette. With Sig back she didn't feel the sea was quite so ominous.

"How's it going Phil?" asked Sig.

"I just got a report from Jonathon saying the ice pack is moving south so if you've got gear up north I suggest you move it quick" said Phil.

"Thanks for the tip, I guess we are going to head up the hill, I've got one string up there" replied Sig.

"Good luck man" said Phil. Sig hung up the radio and sighed, his trip just got a little more complicated. If he went full steam they'd get to the northern string in 8 hours, however the weather was crap which meant that realistically he wouldn't get to the string for 12 hours. The ice had 12 hours to get to where his pots were and that wasn't a good thing.

"I think we're fucked" said Sig lighting a cigarette.

"Is there anything I can do?" asked Victoria.

"No, unless you can magically transport us to the northern string" said Sig.

"I could get you a cup of coffee" suggested Victoria.

"That would be just as good" said Sig with a smile. Victoria popped out of her chair and walked downstairs returning a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee. Sig accepted it gratefully then turned back to the growing seas. Victoria moved back to her portside seat and lit another cigarette.

"You know those things are bad for you" said Sig.

"I've heard that" said Victoria.

"So what's up with you and Norman?" asked Sig.

"He's letting me sleep with him so one of the film crew can sleep in my bunk" said Victoria.

"Do you like him?" asked Sig.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"Like him like him?" asked Sig.

"You sound like a junior high kid, why didn't you just pass me a note in study hall?" said Victoria sarcastically.

"You know what I mean" said Sig.

"I like him as a friend, I like him more than anyone else on the boat. Do I like him like him? It's too soon for me to make that determination" said Victoria honestly.

"Ok" said Sig. "Have you ever seen a bearing sea sunrise?"

"No" said Victoria.

"You will this morning if you can stay awake for a little while longer" said Sig. Victoria noticed that the sky was beginning to lighten. She and Sig sat quietly as the sun crested over the horizon, it was an awe inspiring sight.

"That was beautiful. I can't believe that you get to see that all the time" said Victoria.

"It's a perk of the job" said Sig.

"What are the other ones?" asked Victoria.

"I get to be my own boss, I never have to wear a suit and tie to work, I get to smoke all I want, my office has a great view, I get to boss around my brothers for a living, there are a lot more perks but those are my favorites said Sig with a smile.

"Those are nice perks" said Victoria. "Where is my laptop?"

"It's in the drawer" said Sig pointing to the chart table. Victoria walked over and pulled it out turning it on, she was relieved that it still had battery left but saddened that the internet wasn't working.

"Well I guess the wireless doesn't work all the way out here" said Victoria.

"It's probably just the storm" said Sig. Victoria closed up the laptop and returned it to the drawer for safe keeping.

"I wonder if it will work when the storm ends" said Victoria.

"We will have to wait and see" said Sig. Victoria sat quietly for the next hour before getting up and stretching.

"I'm going back to bed" she announced.

"Get a little rest because I'm going to need everyone to bust ice before too long" said Sig. Victoria just nodded and moved towards the stairs.

Walking back into the bedroom she climbed into bed snuggling up against Norman's warm body. Pulling the blanket over herself she felt Norman move to face her, he pulled her to him resting his head on top of hers.

"Where've you been?" he asked.

"I went up to see Sig" said Victoria.

"I missed you" said Norman quietly.

"I'm back now. I couldn't sleep after the dream" admitted Victoria.

"You don't have to explain anything to me" said Norman.

"I know but I want to" said Victoria. Norman smiled down at her dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Will you two shut up" growled Edgar from his bunk.

"Fuck off" was Norman's response. Edgar reached behind him and picked up a pack of cigarettes tossing it at the duo on the bed. Norman deftly caught it before it hit Victoria in the head.

"I was just filling Norman in on the latest news" said Victoria.

"Oh really?" said Edgar.

"Yep, we are heading up the hill to rescue the northern string" said Victoria.

"Really? Well that's crap" said Edgar. "What's the storm look like?"

"Stormy" replied Victoria. "Lots of waves and spray. Sig said we will have to bust ice before we get to the string."

"In that case I'm going back to sleep. I suggest you two do the same if you can keep your hands off each other" said Edgar. Norman and Victoria moved around until they were both in a comfortable position and nodded off. Edgar woke before them he walked over to Norman's bunk and studied them as they slept. He noted that Norman had a ridiculous grin on his face while Victoria just looked peaceful. Edgar wondered if the attraction was mutual or just on Norman's side, he didn't want his brother to get hurt. Victoria grimaced slightly in her sleep moving Norman's arm slightly lower on her stomach. Edgar smiled to himself, maybe she did have feelings for him. He vowed to find out one way or the other during this trip. Slipping out of the room he made sure to close the door. Victoria's side hurting woke her up, it felt like a small pin prick. She sighed and figured it was probably just cramps, the last thing she wanted was to have her period while on the boat. It was her fault, she hadn't been taking her pill at the same time everyday and obviously it was affecting her cycle. She moved Norman's hand down and pressed it against her side, he got the hint and held her tighter. She fell into an uneasy sleep and didn't wake up until Edgar stuck his slobbery finger into her ear.

"That is disgusting" she cried.

"It got you up didn't it" said Edgar. "It's time to eat and then bust ice."

"Roger" said Norman. Victoria dragged herself out of the bunk and walked towards the galley.

In the galley the guys were already dressed for the day and anxiously awaiting the pancakes Matt was preparing. Victoria slid in next to Edgar and laid her head down on the table. Matt handed out the plates placing Victoria's on top of her head. Edgar picked up the plate and pulled her to a sitting position.

"You need to eat and I wouldn't want you to get syrup in your pretty hair" said Edgar.

"My hair looks like shit" was Victoria's response.

"It's the best looking hair on the boat" said Matt.

"That's really not saying much" said Victoria. Matt filled her plate with 3 heart shaped pancakes, some scrambled eggs and 4 pieces of bacon.

"You need to eat it all" said Matt sternly.

"I'll try" said Victoria. Norman arrived sliding in next to Victoria and giving her thigh a squeeze which caused her to blush slightly.

"How come I didn't get heart pancakes?" whined Edgar.

"Because you don't have a vagina" said Victoria. Everyone at the table froze.

"I'm not so sure of that" said Matt after a beat. The table irrupted into laughter. After breakfast everyone headed outside to bust ice. Edgar pulled Victoria towards him and handed her the hose.

"It's salt water, just spray the deck. Stay away from the railing" said Edgar.

"Not a problem" said Victoria watching as the waves crashed over the side of the boat. She sprayed the hose at the ice on deck sliding back and forth until most of the ice had started to dissolve. Edgar handed her a sledge hammer.

"I can't pick this up" she said.

"Hmm, I guess we should get you something smaller" said Edgar. He went into the engine room and returned with a pipe.

"Do you want me to bust ice or kill Colonel Mustard in the library?" asked Victoria with a smirk. Edgar just steered her towards the block.

"Be careful and don't break anything" said Edgar. Victoria hammered away at the block and coiler carefully stepping back each time a wave rolled over the side of the boat. It took her a little less than an hour to clear all the ice from the two pieces of equipment. Deciding to take the initiative she moved down the deck hitting the ice off the rail.

"Nice work Elf" said Edgar. "Watch out for waves."

"Roger" said Victoria. The whole crew spent the next few hours breaking ice on the boat, before they were done Victoria had managed to make it all the way around the rails of the boat. Walking into the galley Victoria boiled some pasta and made a quick cream sauce. The crew ate hungrily before laying down to get a few more hours of rest. Victoria did the dishes and took a few ibuprofen before going up to the wheelhouse. The storm had slackened a little and she wanted to see if the internet was working.

Edgar was up in the wheelhouse when she arrived. Victoria snagged a cigarette from Sig's pack and retrieved her laptop from the drawer under the chart table. She sat down in the portside chair lit the cigarette and powered up the computer.

"I thought you'd be sleeping" said Edgar.

"I wanted to see if the internet was working so I can check my email" explained Victoria.

"You have a serious addiction to technology" said Edgar.

"I suppose I do, I feel like I'm missing a vital organ when I'm not carrying my phone" said Victoria.

"Where is your phone?" asked Edgar.

"I turned it off and put it away, it doesn't work out here" said Victoria already typing away on her computer.

"I take it from all the clickity clacking that your internet is working" said Edgar.

"Yep, I'm so excited" said Victoria gleefully. Edgar just shook his head and watched Victoria tap happily away at her computer. Victoria played on the computer for an hour before she took it downstairs and plugged it in.

Victoria went to the bathroom armed with some baby wipes and a tampon to see what was going on. The pain in her side had been getting progressively worse all day, she fully expected some sort of blood but there was nothing. Victoria cleaned up with the wipes before changing into a fresh pair of lavender Northwestern sweats. Taking the dirty clothes into the stateroom she saw that Jake was up reading.

"Hey Jake, whatcha reading?" she asked.

"Girly magazine, wanna see?" replied Jake.

"Sure" said Victoria climbing up into the bunk next to Jake. They flipped through the magazine together making comments back and forth about the content.

"You are such a cool girl" said Jake.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"And you still smell good" said Jake taking another sniff.

"Well I wish I could say the same for you" said Victoria hopping down off the bunk. She had crossed half way across the room when she was snagged by Nick.

"Hey Elf, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm ok" said Victoria.

Nick pulled her down and whispered into her ear "how come you're wincing?"

"I think it's a female problem" explained Victoria.

"Well as long as it's not something more than that" said Nick. "You need to tell us if you think there is something wrong, we are a long way from help."

"I will, thanks for worrying about me" said Victoria.

"My wife's birthday is coming up, I need you to buy her a gift" said Nick.

"I'm fine" said Victoria. She walked out of the room and headed into Edgar and Norman's room. The second she walked into the room they both stopped talking.

"Hey guys, my ears were burning. Were you talking about me?" said Victoria saucily.

"Maybe" said Edgar with a sly smile.

"Well I hope it was complimentary" said Victoria climbing into Norman's bunk. Norman moved slightly so she could get under the blanket before tucking her in. Victoria slept for the next hour completely unaware of the conversation going on around her.

Everyone was sitting in the galley listening to Sig discuss strategy, they were in pancake ice and almost onto their next string. The goal was to rescue the gear and head south. They were out of the storm but the winds were still pretty rough. Victoria ate the soup that she and Matt had made without comment. She contemplated taking an anxiety pill because she could feel her heart racing but decided against it, she needed to be in top form with a clear head. The crew filed out on deck and Victoria saw what Sig meant about the wind, she could see the snow flurries blowing sideways and the wind was already burning her cheeks.

"Elf, it's nasty out here so I just want you to sort, hang on to the table when it gets nasty" said Edgar.

"Ok" said Victoria. She stood by the table hanging on for dear life, watching Edgar toss the hook into the massive ice flow. The pulling was slow because the ice flow made hooking the buoys more and more complicated. Victoria for her part was trying not to think about the pain blooming in her side. It had gotten steadily worse yet she hadn't started her period. The pots were coming over faster and she and Nick struggled to get the crab in the tank before the legs popped off. Everyone on deck kept working to get the 30 pot string on deck. Sig watched everyone from the monitor, he was pleased with the crews speed, they were going at Sig speed and that made him happy. As they moved to where the next buoy should have been the only thing they could see was a huge chunk of ice. Sig slowed as he approached the coordinates hoping that someone would spot the buoy. Edgar, Jake and Norman strained their eyes looking for that elusive buoy. Finally someone spotted the thing and Edgar tossed the hook snagging it on the first attempt. Everyone cheered. The string was finished hours later and before the crew could go inside they had to clear the boat of ice. Victoria struggled to break the ice with her hammer, every strike sent a shooting pain through her body. Edgar gave her permission to go inside early and she immediately headed to the bathroom where she ran a ridiculously hot shower. Hoping the hot water would soothe the ache she stayed in until she heard Edgar pounding on the door. Quickly drying her hair and body she slipped on a pair of pajama pants and tank top before pulling on a sweatshirt. She walked into the galley and poured herself a cup of coffee before slipping in next to Nick. Matt served her some meatloaf that she just pushed around her plate.

"You need to eat" said Matt.

"I can't, I feel like I'm going to throw up" said Victoria.

"Try to eat something" said Matt imploringly. Victoria nodded and took a few bites of her dinner. That was all she could eat and quickly slipped out of the galley to relax in Norman's bed. Her whole body ached and the pain in her side was almost unbearable.

Edgar walked into the stateroom a few hours later noticing that Victoria was once again asleep in Norman's bed. He walked over and covered her up with the blanket, his arm brushed her hand. He was alarmed to feel how hot she was, taking care he gently touched her face promptly pulling his hand away because of the heat. Walking up to the wheelhouse he grabbed the thermometer out of the first aid kit.

"Who has a fever?" asked Norman who was currently occupying the captain's chair.

"Elf" said Edgar. "She's hot enough to cook an egg." Norman looked alarmed and Edgar waived the thermometer as if to pacify him by showing he was doing something to help her. Norman nodded and turned back to the churning sea. Back in the stateroom Edgar popped the thermometer into Victoria's mouth, when it was removed it read 103.5. Edgar immediately put it back in for second opinion, when the number was the same the second time he began to get a little worried. He didn't want to tell Norman for fear of his reaction, but clearly he needed to bring down her fever quickly. Making a decision he woke up Matt, he explained the situation and was not comforted by Matt's worried expression.

"Shit, that's a really high fever" said Matt.

"That is why I woke you up" said Edgar.

"Did you give her anything?" asked Matt.

"No, that is why I woke you up" said Edgar.

"Lets give her some ibuprofen and get her cooled down" said Matt. Edgar and Matt woke Victoria up, forced her to swallow 4 pills and plopped her into a freezing cold shower. Her scream woke up the entire boat.

"What the hell is going on in here" yelled Sig. He was faced with a very naked Victoria sitting on the floor of the shower with Edgar and Matt holding her under the spray.

"Shit, I didn't even get hazed that bad" said Jake from the doorway.

"We are not hazing her, she has a really high fever" explained Edgar.

"Well get her out of the shower she's shaking" said Sig. Edgar hoisted her up and Matt covered her with a towel, Victoria remained silent whether from embarrassment or cold no one was sure. Edgar carried her to his stateroom laying her on Norman's bed in nothing but a towel. Victoria rolled into the fetal position and refused to move, even to put on clean clothes.

"Elf, what's wrong?" asked Sig.

"My side hurts" said Victoria. "It's probably cramps." Hearing that everyone took a step back.

"Ok Elf, take a little time to rest and I hope you feel better" said Sig leading the charge out of the room. The guys reconvened in the galley to discuss the problem.

"We should keep an eye on her, that fever is really high" said Edgar.

"This is why we don't allow girls on the boat" said Sig. Edgar stood up suddenly and went into the wheelhouse. He needed to call Louise.

"Norman, go check on your girlfriend, her fever is really high" said Edgar. Norman got up and quickly headed downstairs. Edgar grabbed the sat phone and dialed his home number.

"Hello?" answered Louise.

"Hey honey" said Edgar.

"What's wrong?" asked Louise.

"Elf is sick, she says it's cramps but she has a high fever" explained Edgar.

"Well menstrual cramps don't give you fevers" said Louise.

"Are you sure" asked Edgar.

"Positive, I'd say it was something else" said Louise. "It could be appendicitis."

"How would I check for that?" asked Edgar.

"Her side will be tender, fever, vomiting, and all and all not feeling good. Edgar if you think that's the problem you need to get her to a hospital" said Louise.

"Honey, we are in the middle of the trip, literally in the middle of nowhere. If she needs medical attention we will have to call the coast guard" said Edgar.

"If you think she has appendicitis call the coast guard right away, if it bursts she could die" said Louise.

"Roger. Thanks for the information, tell the kids I love them" said Edgar.

"Take care of yourself" said Louise.

Edgar hurried back down the stairs and into the hallway. Bursting into the room he shared with Norman he was surprised to find it empty. Retracing his steps he saw Norman and Victoria in the bathroom. Norman was holding back Victoria's hair while she threw up in the toilet.

"Shit, when did this start?" asked Edgar.

"About 2 minutes ago" said Norman. Edgar bent down and pressed Victoria's side making her howl.

"What did you do that for?" asked Norman.

"I think she has appendicitis" said Edgar. "I need to call the coasties." Edgar raced out of the bathroom and up to the wheelhouse, Sig was sitting in the captain's chair smoking a cigarette.

"Call the coasties, Elf has appendicitis" barked Edgar.

"What!? Are you sure?" asked Sig already reaching for the radio.

"I'm 99 percent sure that's what she has" said Edgar. Sig didn't need to be told twice and he reached for the radio.

"Coast Guard this is fishing vessel Northwestern requesting assistance we have a medical emergency on board" said Sig.

"Northwestern what is the nature of the emergency?" asked the coastie.

"I have a crew member with appendicitis" replied Sig.

"Roger. Are you sure? What symptoms is he exhibiting?" asked the coastie.

"She, has a fever, is throwing up and her side hurts" explained Sig.

"How long has she been exhibiting these symptoms?" said the coastie.

"A few hours" said Sig.

"Roger, what is your location?" asked the Coastie. Sig gave him the coordinates and the direction they were steaming. The coast guard immediately sent a helicopter to evacuate Victoria.

"Northwestern, it's imperative that you try to keep her still to try to prevent the appendix from bursting, also no food or drink. The helicopter should reach you within 8 hours" said the Coast Guard.

"Roger. I'll call back if anything changes" said Sig.

"Northwestern, be advised that if left untreated this type of illness could be fatal" said the Coast Guard.

Edgar and Sig just looked at each other for a moment, both thinking the same thing. Victoria was in serious danger and it was going to take 8 hours before help arrived.

"I'll go tell Norman" said Edgar. He walked slowly back to the bathroom, he was relieved to find it empty. Continuing into the room he saw Victoria laying on the bed, Norman sat next to her holding her hand.

"Well?" asked Norman.

"The coasties are on their way, they should be here in 8 hours or so" said Edgar. "They said to keep her still and not to give her anything to eat or drink." Time past slowly on the boat, Norman never left Victoria's side while Edgar was the go between keeping everyone abreast of Victoria's condition. Sig had the throttle completely open, his goal was to get as far south as he could in order to close the distance between the coasties and the boat. The wind was with them and the coast guard helicopter was hovering over the boat in only 6 hours. Edgar and Norman moved Victoria into the galley as the basket dropped onto the deck. Norman carried her out and placed her into the basket.

"Victoria, you are going with the coast guard, they are going to take good care of you" yelled Norman. The second he stepped back the basket was hoisted into the helicopter cabin and they were gone. Edgar clapped him on the shoulder and pulled him inside.

"She's going to be fine, they are going to get her to a hospital and she'll have surgery and we will see her when we go in to unload" said Edgar.

Victoria lost consciousness a few minutes into the flight, the medics worked desperately to get her stable. When they landed at the hospital she was immediately rushed into surgery her situation was critical. The doctor managed to remove the burst appendix but she would be transferred to the hospital in Anchorage as soon as she was out of the woods. Meanwhile back on the boat Sig was updating the other captains on the situation, the moment Victoria was pulled off the boat the radio calls started. The camera guy imbedded with the coast guard finally called the Northwestern on the Sat phone with an update on Victoria's condition.

"Sig, it's Tony. She's out of surgery, it's still pretty touch and go. They are going to evac her to Anchorage."

"Is she awake?" asked Sig.

"No. She lost consciousness in the helicopter and hasn't come around yet" said Tony.

"Thanks for letting me know" said Sig. "Take good care of her."

"I will Sig" said Tony before hanging up. Sig sat quietly in his chair trying to decided what he should tell the crew. They had a job to do and he didn't think they needed to be distracted. On the other hand Norman and Edgar were coming up at least twice and hour to find out if he'd gotten any new information about Victoria. He made his decision, grabbing the hailer he told the guys she was out of surgery. He could hear the cheers down on deck.

"Now lets get back to work" said Sig.

**Please read and review.


	10. Chapter 10

The crew of the Northwestern worked the next 3 days straight and loaded the boat. On the way into town the guys played X-box and slept, everyone was excited to call loved ones. Victoria's illness had once again reminded everyone why this job was deadly, not always because of accidents but because how isolated the fishing grounds were. Sig was up in the wheelhouse getting an update from Phil, who'd just started to offload in Dutch.

"Jonathon and Andy are going to the hospital to see her" said Phil.

"When is she going to get out?" asked Sig.

"I don't know, as of yesterday she was still in the ICU" said Phil.

"Still? Jesus, I thought she'd be going home by now" said Sig.

"According to the coastie she was pretty sick" said Phil. "You probably got her off the boat just in time."

"I'm just glad she's going to be ok" said Sig.

"I'll see you when you get to town" said Phil.

"Roger" said Sig hanging up and lighting a cigarette. Norman appeared in the doorway of the wheelhouse.

"Any news?" he asked.

"She's still in the hospital in Anchorage" said Sig. "Jon and Andy are going to visit her, so we can probably send all her stuff with them." Norman just nodded although Sig could see the deep disappointment in his eyes. "Or we could take it to her ourselves, just to make sure it gets there safe and sound."

"Sounds fun, when are we going?" asked Edgar as he popped into the room.

"When we are all done up here" said Sig.

"Do you think she will be able to live without her computer that long?" asked Edgar.

"She's probably climbing the walls without it" said Norman with a smile.

"It's probably a good thing she doesn't have it, she'd probably be setting people's heart monitors off with all the texting" said Edgar.

"Keeping her stuff is just making the hospital safer for everyone" said Sig with a laugh. Edgar and Norman walked downstairs and into the room they shared. They both flopped down on their respective bunks.

"So, I bet your bunk feels huge without Victoria in it" said Edgar. "We should get her a get well soon gift."

"Edgar, you can't set anything on fire in the hospital" said Norman.

"That is not what I was thinking" said Edgar. Norman shot him a look of disbelief before closing his eyes.

"I think she'll probably be home in LA by the time we get everything done up here" said Norman quietly.

"Norman, she can't last more than a day without checking her email she wouldn't go home without her computer. If it takes us too long to get to where she is, she'll come to us" said Edgar.

Victoria sat in her private room at the hospital in Anchorage watching TV. She was thrilled to be out of the ICU, one tube in her arm was manageable. The nurses who'd taken care of her were the same ones that took care of Phil when he was sick. They kept Victoria entertained with lots of stories about him trying to sneak of the hospital to smoke. According to the doctor she was recovering well from the surgeries and she should be able to go home once her course of IV antibiotics was over. Her room had a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Tony, which said he'd be up to visit as soon as he could catch a flight. Victoria couldn't stop her thoughts from slipping to the boats, she wondered how fishing was going. She imagined the Cornelia Marie, Time Bandit and Northwestern would be almost finished with their quotas. Her musings were interrupted by the charge nurse coming in to check on her.

"Victoria, how are you feeling this evening?" she asked brandishing the blood pressure cuff.

"Much better, thank you" said Victoria.

"I have you pain meds for you and I want you to try to get some sleep so I have a little something to help you" said the nurse.

"Ok" said Victoria.

"I wish I had more patients like you, so easy and agreeable" said the nurse. She slipped out into the hall and returned a moment later with two syringes. "Now, you tell me if you have any pain."

"Tell me another Phil story" said Victoria with a smile.

"Oh, I have a good one" said the nurse with a smirk. "He must have called every single boat in the fleet trying to captain all of them from this hospital room. He even brought in maps of the fishing grounds and had them laid all over. When one of us would come in to give him his meds he'd give us a quick tutorial on what he was doing. He is the most driven person I've ever met, he was so determined to work even in here." The nurse stopped talking for a moment and looked down to see that Victoria had already fallen asleep. Adjusting her pillow and tucking her in the nurse slipped out of the room turning off the TV and the light as she left. Victoria should be going home soon, her antibiotics course would finish in the next few days. The nurses were going to miss her, they'd hoped to keep her long enough for the crews to start visiting her. Tony arrived the next day and brought Victoria a huge stack of magazines and crossword puzzle books.

"Vicks, so glad you're alive" he said giving her a gentle hug.

"It's nice to see you Tony" said Victoria.

"You look like you've lost a stone or two" said Tony.

"It's the bearing sea diet, eat as much as you want and still loose weight" said Victoria.

"Thom feels terrible that you got sick" said Tony.

"It could have happened anywhere, nothing I did on the boat caused my appendicitis" said Victoria.

"I know but you were so far from help" said Tony.

"The guys took good care of me. I bet if they had to they would have done the surgery on the boat" said Victoria.

"Oh God, can you imagine. Thank God it didn't come to that" said Tony.

"They would have done it, although I probably would have been cut open with the same knife they use to gut the cod" said Victoria.

"Alright Vicks just stop, I'm going to pass out" said Tony looking decidedly green.

"Sorry Tony" said Victoria completely unrepentant.

"Where are you planning to go when you get released?" asked Tony.

"I need to go back to Dutch to get all my stuff" said Victoria. "Then I'll probably go home, according to the docs it will probably take me a few weeks to recover once I leave the hospital."

"I'll stock your fridge with Ben and Jerry's as soon as I get back to LA" said Tony with a smile. Victoria and Tony spent the rest of the day catching up and discussing the latest Hollywood gossip. He left promising to get her apartment in order for her return home. Victoria spent the next few days working on crossword puzzles and making lists for herself.

Back in Dutch Harbor there was a meeting of the minds going on at the bar. The crews from the Time Bandit, Cornelia Marie, Wizard and Northwestern were all gathered around a few tables discussing their favorite assistant.

"We really need to find out when she's getting out of the hospital" said Phil.

"I'm on it" said Josh pulling out his cell phone. Everyone else at the table looked surprised. "What? Dad was in the hospital for almost a month, I have the number on speed dial." Josh stepped outside to make the call where it was quieter.

"All her stuff is still in her hotel room according to the camera guys" said Jonathon.

"I have all her stuff that was on the boat including her precious phone and computer" said Sig.

"I can't believe she didn't take those things with her" said Phil.

"I'm sure if she'd been conscious she would have asked for them" said Edgar. The head of production walked into the bar with Josh following in his wake.

"Hey gentlemen, I heard from a couple of my guys that you were in here" said Mick.

"Mick, have a seat, can I buy you a beer?" asked Keith.

"No thanks, I just stopped in to ask for Victoria's stuff. We just cleaned out her room and Tony tells me she's going to be released from the hospital in a couple of days" explained Mick.

"She's getting out already?! We wanted to visit her in the hospital" said Phil.

"In a couple of days, then she's going back home to LA for a few weeks to recuperate. Although Tony says she's still on board for assisting you guys with the promotional tour. So you guys will see her in a month or so" said Mick.

"Well boys I suppose we have 2 days to get to Anchorage and see her before she leaves or we can just visit her at home" said Jonathon with a gleam in his eye.

"We could ask the nurses to delay her release" suggested Jake.

"Yeah, dad you could call, they all love you there" added Josh. Mick just sat back and listened to the guys discuss their plans, clearly they were determined to visit Victoria. It was probably better for them to see her there rather than giving a bunch of guys prone to practical jokes her home address.

"Why don't I make some calls and see if Tony can keep her in the hospital for another few days" said Mick.

"Thanks Mick, we should be able to get to Anchorage in a day or two" said Sig.

"I better go make those calls. See you later" said Mick heading out the door. Once outside he dialed Tony's number and gave him the heads up. Tony was still in Anchorage and agreed to go to the hospital and let Victoria know what was up.

Two days later the crews were all together again only this time instead of being in a bar they were in a hospital waiting room. The nurse at the desk had been warned of the guys impending arrival however no amount of warning had prepared her for the sheer number of them and the fact that they were all carrying flowers and stuffed animals. They'd been told they could go up only in shifts because the room was small, right now the crews were trying to argue with the nurse that they would all be on their best behavior and only stay for a few minutes. The frazzled nurse finally relented and the whole group walked down the hall towards Victoria's room. Victoria was sitting quietly in her room working on a crossword puzzle when she heard the commotion in the hallway. Tony had told her that she might be getting some visitors today but she from the sound of it the whole crab fleet was outside. Jake and Josh Harris were the first ones into the room, they immediately ran over to her bed presenting her with a bear clutching a red heart and a large bouquet of lilies.

"Victoria!" they chorused as they leaned over to drop kisses on her cheeks.

"Hi" said Victoria. "Thank you for the gifts." Jake moved the bear to give her kisses before putting it on the bedside table and climbing into the bed next to her.

"Jake, get the hell out of her bed" barked Phil from the doorway. Jake moved slowly off the bed and retreated to where Josh was standing at the window. Phil walked over and gave her a gentle hug before sitting next to her on the bed.

"How are you feeling Vicks?" he asked.

"I'm ok" said Victoria. The crew of the wizard entered next giving Victoria their well wishes and a few bouquets of flowers and a very large plush dog that had "It's a boy" on the bone in it's mouth.

"Crosby picked it out for you" said Monty by way of an explanation.

"Thank you" said Victoria tucking the doggie next to her in bed. The wizard said their goodbyes, Keith and Monty had a family wedding to attend and needed to get home to Seattle. Giving Victoria some parting hugs and words they left. The Time Bandit crew was next, Jonathon walked over to Victoria pulling a paper bag out of his jacket.

"This is for later, but keep it on the down low" said Jonathon. Victoria took the heavy bag and looked inside, her eyes widened, it contained a large bottle of Crown Royal.

"Roger" said Victoria tucking it under the blanket. Andy was next, he handed her a Styrofoam container which smelled delicious.

"I figured you haven't had anything good to eat so I brought you something to eat" he explained. Victoria opened the container and dug into the nachos.

"Andy it's soooo good" said Victoria.

"I could hear you say that all day and never get tired of it" said Andy dreamily. Victoria couldn't even give him a dirty look because her taste buds were in heaven. Nick and Jake came in next both snagging a chip before giving Victoria a hug and a kiss.

"Elf, I'm so glad you're ok" said Nick.

"I know, your wife's birthday next month" said Victoria. Nick smiled and dropped another kiss on her cheek.

"Hey, you were wearing the same thing when we put you in the copter" said Jake.

"Very true, but it's been washed so it doesn't smell or anything" said Victoria defensively.

"You still smell great" said Jake with a smile.

"Alright little lady, I'm going to run the kiddos to the airport. We just wanted to make sure you were feeling better" said Jonathon.

"Thanks for visiting, I'll see you guys later" said Victoria. The mass exodus still left Victoria with a pretty full room, all 3 Harris's were still there and Matt, Edgar, Norman and Sig.

"Hey Elf, you look like you could have used a few more servings of food" said Matt.

"It's the bearing sea diet, I'm thinking of writing a book" said Victoria picking up another nacho before offering some to Matt. Edgar pushed Matt out of the way and plopped down on Victoria's bed resting his head on her chest and looking into her eyes.

"I've missed you Elf" he said with a swoon. "The bedroom has been empty without you and Norman has been pouting."

"I can't really imagine Norman pouting" said Victoria. "You're squishing me."

"Can I see your scar?" asked Edgar as he sat up.

"Sure" said Victoria pulling up her sweatshirt and pulling the gauze back from the incision site.

"Wicked" said Jake leaning over to take a look.

"Has everyone seen the damage, so I can put my shirt down?" asked Victoria.

"I think you should just leave the shirt up for the rest of our visit" said Josh. Victoria immediately dropped the shirt over her stomach.

"Those are some interesting colored Northwestern sweats" said Phil. "Does everyone on your boat have them?" said Phil to Sig.

"Negative" said Sig. "Elf is the only person I will ever allow to wear those sweats on the boat."

"Why do you call her Elf?" asked Josh.

"Because she's really good at buying presents" said Edgar. "Plus she could probably fit in a stocking." Sig walked over to Victoria's bed and studied her critically.

"Well I suppose you don't really look worse for wear" said Sig moving Victoria's hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you are ok, you really had us worried out there."

"Thanks for getting me to the coast guard, they said that you guys did everything right" said Victoria.

"I think we should credit Norman and Edgar for taking the best care of you" said Sig.

"What about me, I helped" cried Matt.

"Right, helped me right into a freezing cold shower" shot back Victoria.

"It probably helped bring your fever down and for a few minutes you completely forgot about your side hurting" replied Matt with a smile.

"Yes but it was because I was naked and freezing" said Victoria.

"Well we can laugh about it now" said Matt with a sheepish smile. Victoria tried very hard to frown but her smile kept peeking through.

"Gentlemen I need to take the patients vital signs" said the charge Nurse. "Phil, it's so good to see you looking so well." Phil and the nurse spent the entire vital sign check chatting while Edgar kept pulling the oxygen saturation monitor off Victoria's finger. The nurse walked out to the nursing station with Harris's in her wake, she had some pictures to show them. Edgar, Matt and Sig walked out to have a smoke leaving Victoria and Norman by themselves.

Norman moved some of Victoria's new stuffed animal collection out of the way and sat down on the bed next to her. He was holding a bag in his hand keeping it just out of Victoria's sightline.

"I have something for you" said Norman.

"Oh really?" said Victoria shyly.

"Yep, I know you'll love it. In fact I'm surprised that you've been able to live without it" said Norman. Victoria looked at him quizzically. Norman pulled her precious laptop out of the bag and set it on her lap.

"Thank you" said Victoria.

"Aren't you going to open it and check your email?" asked Norman.

"I'd rather talk to you" said Victoria.

"Ok" said Norman clearly surprised by her admission.

"How was the rest of the trip?" asked Victoria.

"It went ok, we finished quicker than we thought. The production people kept us update on how you were doing. Edgar wanted to set all your clothes on fire" said Norman.

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"Because he said I was moping" said Norman feeling slightly embarrassed.

"He was going to ruin my clothes because you were moping?" said Victoria.

"Yep, that's kind of how he works" said Norman.

"Good to know" said Victoria. "What are you going to do with your time off before the promotion tour starts?"

"I'm going home to work on my house a little, take some time to enjoy the peace and quiet" said Norman. "What about you?"

"I'm going back to LA, Tony is getting my apartment all ready for me. You know stocking my freezer with ice cream and dusting. You should come visit" said Victoria.

"Why don't you come visit me, you'd probably get more rest" said Norman.

"I don't even know where you live, with my luck it would be on a boat" said Victoria.

"I live on the Northwestern 9 months out of the year, why would you think I'd live on a boat during my time off" laughed Norman.

"I never really thought about it that way" said Victoria. "I guess that was pretty dumb."

"Now you have to come visit, if only to see that it's not a boat. In fact I don't think I even have anything nautical in my house" said Norman.

"I'd love to visit, perhaps I'll get you something nautical" said Victoria. Phil and the boys walked back into the room and saw Victoria sitting in the bed with Norman her computer on her lap.

"Victoria, do you feel like an appendage has returned" asked Phil.

"Yes, like my pancreas is back where it belongs" said Victoria opening up the computer. Norman watched her pull up the internet and open her email.

"I just heard a code blue down the hall Victoria must have gotten her laptop back" announced Edgar as he entered the room.

"Shit, she has 440 new emails" said Norman.

"My aren't you popular" said Sig. "Who are they from?"

"My friends, Helly Hansen sent me a couple, Tony sent a bunch, a lot from facebook" said Victoria.

"We should leave you alone so you can answer your fan mail" said Sig.

"You guys don't have to go, you are the first entertaining guests I've had" said Victoria with a pleading smile. Victoria and the guys chatted for another hour before the nurse told them she was drugging up Victoria for the night.

"Can I give her the shot?" asked Edgar.

"What?! No way. I want to do it" said Matt.

"You are both insane" said Victoria.

Sig asked Victoria "Ok, of all the people in this room who would you trust to give you the shot?"

"The nurse" said Victoria smugly.

"Anyone but the nurse" said Sig.

"Probably Phil, because he's given himself a lot of shots" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"Thankfully I'm here and I'll be giving Victoria her shot" said the nurse as she walked over to the bed. Moving Victoria's arm she brushed against the bottle Jonathon had given her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's a gift " said Victoria as the nurse pulled out the bottle of Crown Royal.

"One of you will have to take it home for safe keeping" said the Nurse handing the bottle to Phil.

"Don't worry Vicks, I'll keep it for you" said Phil with a smile.

"Don't tell Jonathon I got it confiscated he'll be so disappointed in me" said Victoria.

"Your secret is safe with me" said Phil.

"Ok boys you have a few minutes before she passes out, so I suggest you say your goodbyes" said the nurse.

"Bye Victoria" said Jake giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Take care of yourself and call if you need anything" said Josh dropping a kiss on her forehead before handing her the teddy bear they brought.

"Vicks, be careful with yourself" said Phil giving her a lingering kiss on the cheek before whispering "call me when you get to town" in her ear. Victoria gave him a kiss on the cheek and nodded. They walked out the door after saying goodbye to the Northwestern crew.

"Elf, I'm glad your on the mend. Take care of yourself back in LA, don't do anything Edgar crazy" said Matt.

"I'll try to keep my Edgar craziness to a minimum" said Victoria.

"You couldn't even begin to get Edgar crazy" said Sig. "But really, I want you back at 100% when we see you again, because if you think working on the boat is hard just wait until I'm making you get me coffee at 3 am and picking all the red m&m's our of the bowl of candy in the greenroom."

"At least at the end of that kind of a day I won't smell like fish" said Victoria. Edgar picked up her phone and turned it on.

"We put all our numbers in here so you can call us if you need anything" said Edgar. "I'm so glad you are ok. I've never really seen anyone that sick on a boat before."

"Thanks for taking care of me" said Victoria. "I wouldn't be here without all the care you guys gave me."

"Norman, we will meet you in the lobby" said Sig as the rest of the guys walked out. Victoria turned to snuggle up against Norman's chest.

"It's almost like the boat except that the room is rocking back and forth" said Victoria sleepily. The drugs were taking effect and she fought against the pull of sleep.

"I missed you. I was worried about you. I really want you to come visit me" said Norman.

"Did you put your phone number in my phone?" asked Victoria sleepily.

"Yes" said Norman.

"Then I'll call you when I get home" said Victoria her eyes closing against her will. Norman watched as she slipped into sleep her body relaxing into his chest. He held her for a few minutes before laying her back on the pillow and getting out of the hospital bed. He leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips, reveling in their softness. As he walked down the hall he vowed that next time they saw each other she'd be awake for their next kiss.

A/N: My other stories are not abandoned. I just have a good working outline for this one so a few more chapters will be posted before I return to the other stories. Please read and review.


	11. Chapter 11

Victoria was released from the hospital the next day and flew home to LA that night. Tony picked her up from the airport and drove her home. Opening the door she saw that he'd had her place professionally cleaned and stocked the fridge with meals.

"I want you to take care of yourself. I've ordered meals for you for the next week so you don't have to cook" said Tony.

"Thanks Tony" said Victoria.

"Now Vicks, I think it's time for you to go to bed" said Tony.

"I will, I just want to take a proper shower" said Victoria.

"Alright but after that to bed with you" said Tony sternly.

"Yes daddy" replied Victoria. Walking into the bathroom Victoria turned on the shower and pulled off her clothes. Stepping under the spray she washed her hair a few times, then soaped her body with her favorite smelling body wash twice, finally she shaved her legs and armpits. She felt like a new woman when she was finished. Wrapped in a towel she walked towards her closet, slipping on a pair on underwear she looked through her pajama drawer. Deciding that she didn't want to wear anything in there she moved to her bag of Northwestern clothes, pulling out the pink sweatshirt she held it to her face. It smelled like Norman and without a second thought she slipped it over her head. Crawling into bed she snuggled into her soft sheets wishing she could rest her head on Norman's chest. Sleep came slowly for Victoria and she was still tired when her cell rang in the morning.

"Hello?"

"Vicks, it's Tricks. Tony told me you'd be home and I wondered if you wanted to do lunch?"

"Not today, I'm going to lay around all day. I'll call you tomorrow" said Victoria before abruptly hanging up the phone. The phone rang 5 more times before Victoria just turned it off. "I miss the peace and quiet of the boat" muttered Victoria to herself. The next day Victoria forced herself to get out of bed and turn on her phone again. She listened to the voice mail messages from her friends feeling no desire to call any of them back. Smiling to herself she pulled open her computer and started searching for a car. After a few hours her eyes hurt and she was more confused than ever. She decided to call Jake and Josh, both expressed interest in cars and would probably be able to steer her in the right direction. She picked up her phone and saw she had a new text message.

_V-_

_Checked the house, nothing nautical. _

_N_

She smiled to herself and immediately fired off her reply.

_Norman,_

_I'll definitely have to get you something, how about one of those singing wall fish?"_

_Victoria._

Dialing Josh's number first she wasn't surprised when she got his voice mail, it was still early and he was probably still asleep. She left her message telling him she wanted to buy a car and was looking for some advice. Next she called Jake and left the same message.

She spent the rest of the day doing laundry and lounging around the house. She'd just gotten out of the shower when she heard her phone ring. Checking the caller ID she saw it was Jake.

"Hi Jake" she said happily.

"Hey Victoria, sorry I missed your call earlier" said Jake.

"That's ok. Did you get my message?" said Victoria.

"Yeah, so you want to buy a car" said Jake. "That's pretty cool, what kind?"

"Something fast" said Victoria.

"Ok, well how much money can you spend?" asked Jake.

"It doesn't really matter, I'm just going to put it on a credit card" said Victoria dismissively.

"Um, you do realize that a car is really expensive right? Probably more than your credit card limit" said Jake.

"Well my Amex is a $100k limit but I won't use that because I have to pay it all off at the end of the month, but my other cards have similar limits" said Victoria.

"Wow" said Jake.

"I have excellent credit" said Victoria.

"I guess, I'm letting you treat next time we go out to dinner" said Jake.

"Not a problem, I can write it off as a business expense on my taxes" said Victoria.

"Ok, how big of an engine do you want in the car?" asked Jake.

"I have no idea" said Victoria. Jake continued to ask questions that Victoria had no answers to, finally he got frustrated.

"I think me and Josh should come down and help you with this in person" said Jake.

"Really? I'd love to see you guys and I'd appreciate any help you can give me" said Victoria.

"Awesome, I love to see LA, will you take us around?" said Jake.

"Sure, you guys can even stay with me if you want" said Victoria.

"I'll call Josh and we will let you know when we're coming" said Jake.

"Ok" said Victoria. She hung up the phone and wondered what "taking them around" would entail. Spending the next week catching up on personal maintenance Victoria was thrilled to hear that Jake and Josh would be coming down the next morning on an early flight. She called her favorite car service and arranged for them to be picked up in style.

Jake and Josh spent the majority of the flight flirting shamelessly with a couple of actresses moving to LA for their big break. The girls knew exactly who Jake and Josh were and they boys positively preened with the attention. As they picked up their bags they saw their names being held by a very swanky looking limo driver.

"Victoria really knows how to treat us" said Josh.

"Who's Victoria?" asked one of the girls with a pout.

"She's our personal assistant" said Jake instantly.

"You guys have an assistant, that is so cool" said the same girl. Josh and Jake shared a look then asked the girls if they needed a lift to the hotel. Both girls were disappointed to point out a friend that had come to the airport to pick them up.

"Maybe we can meet up while you're in town?" suggested Jake. The group quickly exchanged phone numbers before parting ways. Jake and Josh followed the limo driver out to the curb, with one last wave to the girls they slid into the car and sped off.

"Do you think Victoria will care if we meet up with the girls?" asked Jake.

"Probably not. Maybe we can meet them after we tuck Victoria into bed for the night" said Josh.

"Yeah, but she's going to know all the good spots to go out to anyway. We probably need her to get us on the list" said Jake.

"We'll just ask her, after all she's our assistant" said Josh with a smile. Jake returned the smile and the boys sat back and enjoyed the rest of the ride to Victoria's house. As they pulled up to a very expensive looking apartment building a doorman walked out to the limo and opened the door. Jake and Josh grabbed their stuff from the trunk and walked into the opened door of the building. Victoria was standing inside the lobby in a sweater and some jeans, she looked 1000 times better than the last time the boys had seen her.

"Victoria!" they yelled dropping their bags and running over to give her a hug. Jake swung her around noticing how light she was before setting her back on her feet.

"Hi guys, glad to see you made it safely" said Victoria. "Lets go upstairs to my apartment."

"This place is pretty swanky" said Josh once the elevator doors had closed.

"Thanks, I picked it because it was really close to the Farmer's Market" said Victoria. "But all the amenities are nice too, especially the doorman, he's great especially when you have an arm full of shopping bags."

"I'll bet you always have an armful of bags" said Jake.

"It does happen fairly often" said Victoria with a grin. The elevator stopped and Jake and Josh followed Victoria down the hall to her apartment. Walking through the door the guys saw the huge TV and couch, dropped their bags and made themselves at home. Victoria just rolled her eyes and stepped over the bags and walked into the kitchen. She pulled out some guacamole she'd made earlier in the day and a bag of chips before walking back into the living room and setting them on the table. Jake and Josh both reached down for a chip neither taking their eyes off the screen.

"You are a guys wet dream, you're hot, you have like a 1000 channels on the TV and snacks" said Jake.

"Thanks for the compliment" said Victoria. "Do you guys want something to drink?"

"I'll have whatever you're going to have" said Josh with a smile.

"I'm having fizzy water with lemon, but I have regular sodas too" replied Victoria walking to the kitchen. Josh got up and followed her in selecting a soda from the fridge he tossed one to Jake who deftly caught it without looking away from the TV. Josh leaned back in and pulled out the fizzy water for Victoria before pulling out a bottle of grape soda.

"I haven't had grape soda in forever, this fridge is a treasure trove of goodies" said Josh.

"You should check out the freezer, Tony went overboard on stocking it with ice cream" said Victoria. Josh opened the freezer to check it out.

"Wow, there must be 30 pints in here all different flavors" said Josh.

"I know. Lucky for me you two are here to help me eat some" said Victoria.

"When are we going to look for a car?" asked Josh.

"Well if you want to go out anywhere farther than walking distance we should get one today" said Victoria. Josh looked at her incredulously, "you're kidding, you expect to just go out an buy a car this afternoon."

"Why not?" asked Victoria.

"You've clearly never bought a car before" said Josh.

"You are right, I haven't. But I've bought a lot of other things so I'm confident in the purchasing aspect of the transaction, I called you guys because deciding which car is the part I need help with" said Victoria exasperatedly.

"Did you get a car loan already?" asked Josh.

"She's going to use a credit card" added Jake from the living room.

"Seriously? Do you know how much a car costs?" asked Josh.

"I've already had this discussion with Dong" said Victoria.

"That's the first time you've ever called either of us those names" said Josh.

"Well you guys are getting a little annoying with the whole money question" said Victoria. "If I needed monetary advice I'd ask my financial planner."

"Got it, so what kind of car do you want to get?" asked Josh.

"Fast. I've narrowed it down to a few" said Victoria. "I want to look at Mini Cooper, Audi, Acura and Mercedes."

"Where is your precious computer? We could look up all the models you like and set up test drives for tomorrow" suggested Josh. Victoria walked over to the little nook in her living room and pulled out the computer, she moved to the couch and scooted Jake over. The three poured over the websites for a few hours, by the end Victoria had narrowed her search to 3 cars. Josh called and set up test drives for each of the dealers for the next day.

"I'm so excited! Tomorrow I'll make my first big purchase" said Victoria.

"You've never owned a car before?" asked Jake, surprised.

"Nope, I've always had them leased for me" said Victoria.

"We are in the wrong business, we should be personal assistants" said Josh.

"It's not all glamorous car leases and all expense travel allowances" said Victoria.

"We should go out and celebrate your impending purchase" said Josh.

"Stop trying to impress her with your big words" said Jake reaching over Victoria to punch Josh in the arm.

"Alright kids, no fighting on my couch. It's used only for sitting and making out" said Victoria.

"Cool" said Jake draping his arm over Victoria's shoulder.

"Very funny" said Victoria moving Jake's arm and standing up. "Where do you guys want to go tonight?"

"Wherever you're treating" said Jake with a smirk.

"Fine, burgers it is" said Victoria. "I have to change, and so do you guys." Victoria breezed into her room and closed the door, pulling out her phone she hired a car and made reservations at 25 degrees. Then she walked into her closet and pulled out a dress and some heels. She hopped in the shower before quickly putting on some makeup and fixing her hair, then she got dressed. Josh was sitting on the couch in a pair of slacks and a collared shirt when Victoria emerged from her bedroom.

"Wow, you look super hot" said Josh.

"You look really nice too" said Victoria.

"Thanks, although this is probably the nicest I've ever dressed up for burgers" said Josh.

"Well we're going to Hollywood so everyone dresses up or dresses down depending on the place" said Victoria. "Besides you have to look nice in case we go out anywhere afterwards."

"Is this going to be an all night party? Because I promised the old man that we wouldn't keep you out late." said Josh.

"We'll play it by ear, if I get tired we can always come home. Chances are you two are probably going to hook up anyway" said Victoria with a knowing smirk.

"What? We'd never leave you anywhere" said Josh in horror.

"I'm a big girl and I can get myself home. You are absolutely not allowed to bring girls back here. I don't want any stains on the furniture" said Victoria.

"What about stains?" asked Jake. He was dressed similarly to Josh with the addition of a rather cool knit hat.

"She was just laying down the ground rules for this evening" said Josh.

"No stains?" said Jake.

"No bringing girls back with you" said Victoria.

"Oh" said Jake. "Are we allowed to go back to their places?"

"That's fine, maybe you should write my address down so you can make it back here at some point" said Victoria.

"Jake, she thinks your serious" said Josh with a laugh.

"Who says I'm not" said Jake. Victoria just rolled her eyes before checking her watch, they still had 30 minutes before the car arrived.

"Do you guys want a drink?" she asked. "We usually do a celebratory shot before we go out for a night on the town." Both Jake and Josh watched as Victoria climbed onto the counter, her dress coming very close to showing off her assets. Reaching into the cabinet she pulled down a bottle of tequila before sliding across the counter to get 3 shot glasses. Jake and Josh were riveted to the shifting of her dress and were both disappointed when she hopped of the counter without showing them anything. Victoria filled the shot glasses then passed them to the boys.

"Where's the salt and lime?" asked Jake.

"This is really good tequila, you don't need lime or salt with it" said Victoria.

"To a night out" said Josh.

"To girls" said Jake.

"To getting Edgar crazy" said Victoria. All 3 drank their shots and set the glasses down on the counter. "God that's good" said Victoria with a sigh.

"That is easily the best shot of tequila I've had" said Josh.

"Yeah it was pretty good" said Jake. The car arrived a few minutes later and Victoria and the boys went downstairs.

Arriving at their destination Josh and Jake followed Victoria into the Roosevelt Hotel. The walked through the door into the lobby and both Jake and Josh felt like they were instantly transported into a Hollywood movie. Victoria slowed down so the guys could look around before moving through a side hallway and into a very retro restaurant. 25 degrees is decorated in red leather booths and has the rare combination of being very hip and very delicious. They were shown to a table in the back corner with a perfect view of the rest of the restaurant. Jake and Josh smiled as they read the menu, it was burgers just like Victoria had said yet the place had an old Hollywood feel, like a movie star would walk in at any moment.

"Where did you hear about this place?" asked Jake.

"Um, I think I may have come here on a date once" said Victoria offhandedly.

"Who was your date?" asked Josh.

"Some guy I got set up with. The date was kind of boring but finding this place made all the uncomfortable silences worth while" said Victoria. "I recommend the Guinness shake." The trio placed their orders and quickly settled into discussing where the boys wanted to go next. Josh's phone buzzed and he glanced down at the number.

"It's dad" he said.

"Well answer it, he probably wants an update on Victoria's condition" said Jake.

"Hey Dad" said Josh.

"Joshua, how's Victoria?" said Phil.

"She's right here, why don't you ask her" said Josh handing Victoria the phone. She picked it up, grabbed her purse and walked outside.

"Hi Phil" she said once safely outside the restaurant.

"Hi Vicks, how are you feeling? Are the boys treating you alright?" asked Phil. Victoria took a drag of her cigarette before answering.

"I'm almost feeling back to normal. The boys are on their best behavior, we are just out having dinner" said Victoria.

"Well I hope they don't embarrass you too much while they are there. Good luck trying to keep track of them, every time we go anywhere together one of them is always of making out with some chick" said Phil.

"I'm sure those nice young ladies don't appreciate you calling them chicks" said Victoria.

"If they were nice young ladies they probably wouldn't be making out with a couple of dumb fishermen next to a dumpster behind a restaurant" said Phil.

"Hmm. They probably think of them as TV stars" said Victoria. "I'm sure you've had a few dumpster kisses in your time" said Victoria.

"I plead the fifth" said Phil. "I just called to check on you and the guys. Have a fun night."

"Thanks, we are going to get Edgar crazy" said Victoria.

"Well let me know if you need bail money and I'll call Sig for you" said Phil with a laugh.

"Will do. Take care Phil" said Victoria.

"Bye Victoria" said Phil before hanging up. Victoria walked back into the restaurant to find her food had arrived and the boys had both sampled her milkshake.

"That shake is awesome, we both ordered one" said Jake with a smile.

"This place is great" said Josh digging into his burger with gusto.

"What did dad want?" asked Jake.

"Just to say hi, see how I was feeling and check up on you guys" said Victoria.

"Did you tell him we were going out tonight?" asked Josh.

"I told him we were going to go Edgar Crazy" said Victoria.

"What did he say to that?" asked Josh.

"He said to call him when we need bail money and he'll call Sig" replied Victoria.

"That's awesome" said Jake.

After dinner the trio walked down Hollywood Boulevard looking at the stars on the walk of fame before heading back to the Roosevelt and into Teddy's. Victoria was waiting until it got a little later before she called up the cavalry and asked which club was bumping. While Jake and Josh took pictures with some fans and chatted up some girls Victoria sent out her text.

_Have Harris Boys from Deadliest Catch w/me tonight. Where should we go?_

The barrage of responses was overwhelming, most of them wanted to know where they were currently. When Victoria responded with their location everyone told them to stay put, they would bring the party to them. Victoria just smiled and ordered a bottle of chilled Crown Royal for the boys and a glass of champagne for herself. She scooted farther back into the darkness and just watched the boys chat up all the girls. Jake broke away from his adoring fans and came to sit next to her.

"Victoria, do you think if I call these girls we met on the plane they could get in?" asked Jake.

"Sure, they need to dress up. And I can walk them in once they get here" said Victoria with a smile.

"Thanks, I'm going to call them" said Jake with a huge smile. A few of Victoria's friends had come by to give Victoria a hard time about going out with her bosses. Jake and Josh loved the fact that she was their assistant and all these people knew it. Victoria didn't let them get away with any power tripping though.

"God, I wish I could talk to the witch like that" said Tricks.

"She'd fire your ass in a heart beat, then sue you for slander" said Victoria with a smile.

"You are so right" replied Tricks.

"Vicks and Tricks? That's very cute" said Josh.

"Tony came up with the nicknames before our first job together" said Victoria.

"Those were the days, cleaning up dog shit and getting coffee" said Tricks. "Now it's dosing out anxiety pills and driving to doctors appointments."

"Is it a step up or a step down?" asked Victoria.

"Well you're not with me so definitely a step down" said Tricks. Jake tapped Victoria on the shoulder and told her the girls were at the door. "Excuse me for a sec" said Victoria standing up. She walked towards the main door and waived at Sarah who was manning the door.

"Victoria, how are you? When did you sneak in?" asked Sarah.

"I used the back entrance. I'm here to get two girls for my bosses (the word bosses was accompanied by a huge eye roll). explained Victoria.

"Are you adding pimping to your resume Vicks?" said Sarah.

"Not yet, but I'm sure it's just a matter of time" said Victoria. "I have to tell you about my latest adventure over lunch sometime soon."

"I've heard all about it from Tricks, she said you work for Deadliest Catch" said Sarah.

"Yeah, I was on the Northwestern, got appendicitis and had to be medivac'd from the ship. All very exciting stuff" said Victoria.

"You don't get paid enough" said Sarah.

"Probably not." said Victoria with a smile.

"Alright, who are the girls?" asked Sarah pulling back the curtain.

"Probably those two biters right there" said Victoria pointing to two girls hanging on the velvet rope. "Excuse me ladies are you here to see Jake and Josh?" asked Victoria.

"Yes" they said in unison. Sarah moved the rope and Victoria led the girls back to the table. Jake saw them approaching and quickly stood to greet them.

"Hi Ladies" he said.

"Jake, thanks for calling us" said one of the girls.

"Let me introduce you. Everyone this is Brittany and Lacey" said Jake. "Brittany and Lacey, this is everyone." Everyone chorused hellos and then returned to their previous conversations. Victoria slipped back into her nook and sipped at her class of champagne.

"So, who are those girls?" asked Tricks.

"Some girls the guys met yesterday on the flight down" said Victoria with a shrug.

"You are sweet for getting them in here" said Tricks with a smirk.

"It's all part of the job" said Victoria.

"Oh really? What are the guys doing down here anyway?" asked Tricks.

"Helping me pick out a car to buy" said Victoria.

"No way. The girl who owns nothing that can't be packed into a suitcase is buying a car. Congratulations on growing up" said Tricks.

"Thank you. I'm really excited" said Victoria with a smile.

"I remember when the witch wanted you to go to therapy because you didn't own anything" said Tricks.

"She also wanted me to go to therapy over my alleged fear of cats" said Victoria.

"She's an odd ball, but she pays well" said Tricks. Victoria and Tricks talked for a while longer before Tricks had to leave. Giving each other the standard Hollywood kiss they promised to call each other later. Victoria picked up her phone and checked her messages and email. Jake and Josh were wrapped up in the two girls and Victoria watched the girls get drunker and drunker. Signaling a waitress she ordered water for the table and something to snack on. The last thing she wanted was anyone throwing up, she loved this place and didn't want to get banned from it because of two drunk chicks. Josh detangled himself from Lacey and walked over to sit next to Victoria.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" asked Josh.

"I'm fine. Are you having a good time?" asked Victoria.

"Yeah, this places rocks" said Josh.

"Good. Can I give you some advice?" said Victoria.

"Sure" replied Josh.

"Don't give the girls anymore to drink, they are probably one more sip away from puking all over this very expensive table" said Victoria.

"Roger" said Josh looking over at the girls. "Maybe we could take a walk or something."

"Good idea, you can take them out to the Tropicana bar outside and I'll pay the bill and meet you there" said Victoria.

"Thanks Vicks" said Josh. Victoria watched as Jake and Josh half carried the girls out the door. She hoped neither of them drove because there was no way they were driving in their current condition. The waitress came over and sat down next to Victoria.

"Vicks, ready to settle up?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I feel like this is going to be a long night. Perhaps I need some liquid motivation to keep going" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"One or two?" asked the waitress.

"One" answered Victoria.

"Be back in a few with the bill and one assistant special" said the waitress with a wink. The assistant special was a widely known drink to all the assistants in the business. It was tequila, apple vodka, an energy tablet, grape juice and a can of red bull. It worked wonders to help wary assistance keep up with their hard partying bosses. Victoria gratefully accepted both the bill and the drink. Passing her credit card to the waitress she sucked down the drink. The waitress returned with her receipt and a shot.

"The shot is from Sarah, she said you deserve it for surviving" said the waitress.

"Thanks" said Victoria downing the shot and filling out the tab, she left a huge tip then gathered her stuff and headed outside to find the boys.

The pool bar was pretty full and Victoria scanned the crowd for Jake, Josh and the girls. Eventually she spotted Josh sitting on one of the flower planters apparently by himself.

"Hi Josh" said Victoria.

"Hey Vicks" said Josh with an easy smile.

"Where's everyone else?" asked Victoria.

"Um around" said Josh.

"Making out next to a dumpster or puking in the bushes?" asked Victoria.

"Probably a little of both" said Josh.

"Well I hope you got your kisses before the puking started" said Victoria. Josh pulled out his pack of cigarettes and offered Victoria one. She slid one out of the pack and placed it in between her lips as Josh lit it.

"You look really nice tonight" said Josh. "I like your hair."

"Thanks" said Victoria. Josh moved his hand to her face tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Victoria didn't really know what to think about the gesture. Luckily she was saved from having to address it as Jake appeared from behind a large potted plant.

"Well, I think the girls are pretty much done" said Jake.

"Where are they? Did you kill them or something?" asked Victoria.

"They're both throwing up over there" said Jake pointing to the direction he just came from. Victoria and Josh both shook their heads. Victoria stood up to go check on the girls. The walked past the planter to see both girls kneeling on the floor.

"Are you guys ok?" asked Victoria.

"Assistant, can you please get us some fucking water?" said one of the girls.

"Yeah assistant, make yourself useful" said the other. Victoria didn't say anything she just turned and walked away.

"They said they're fine, just a little embarrassed and they are going to head home on their own" said Victoria to Jake and Josh.

"Cool, lets go" said Jake. On the way to the taxi's Victoria stopped by the security desk to inform them that 2 girls were defiling their potted plants near the pool. She hoped they learn never to fuck with an assistant, especially one who is trying to be nice. Jake, Josh and Victoria piled into the cab and headed back to her apartment. Once there instead of going up they walked across the street to a tiny taco stand and got a few tacos. Eating while walking turned into a huge production and all three decided to sit on the step outside of Victoria's building to finish with minimal mess. Back in the apartment Victoria considered sleeping arrangements for the first time since the guys arrival.

"One of you can sleep on the couch and one of you can sleep with me or both of you can sleep in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch" said Victoria. "Decide while I change clothes." She walked into her room pulled out a pair of pajamas and changed in the bathroom. When she walked out she saw two boxer clad boys in her bed. Shrugging she turned to walk out into the hall.

"Where do you think you're going?" said Jake. "We both want to sleep with you."

"There isn't enough room" said Victoria.

"This bed is gigantic, there is plenty of room, besides neither of us move much since we are use to sleeping in bunks" said Josh. Victoria was tired and she didn't really want to argue. She climbed into the middle of the bed figuring she would get up as soon as the boys fell asleep. All three were asleep within minutes.

**A/N: All places in LA are real and described to the best of my recollection.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Monster Chapter and the story finally earns the M rating. Please read and review.

Victoria woke up with two arms wrapped around her waist, one belonging to Jake the other to Josh. Both boys were snoring and drooling all over her pillows. With a sigh she shimmied out from under their arms and climbed out of bed. Her side was hurting and she needed to take her pain medication. Walking into the bathroom she opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out the bottle she needed. Grabbing the pills she headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Glancing at the clock on the stove she saw that it was only 7, after drinking a glass of water she laid down on the couch and went back to sleep. Victoria was woken up by an irate and slightly inarticulate tirade from the bedroom. Dragging herself off the couch she went to investigate. Victoria wished she had a camera to capture the scene she'd walked in on. Josh and Jake were standing on either side of the bed, both had slightly tented boxers and matching looks of horror on their faces.

"What's going on in here?" asked Victoria. Both guys hands dropped to their groins before they started to explain.

"Nothing" said Jake.

"Well I guess we both thought the other was you" said Josh at the same time.

"Wow, how far did you get with each other?" asked Victoria.

"Just a little cuddle before I realized that you were missing some boobs" said Josh.

"Nothing" said Jake at the same time. "Why are you telling her anything?" Jake dove across the bed grabbing Josh by the arms and pulling him down on the bed before starting to punch him. Victoria took a few steps to her purse and pulled out her camera. She took a few shots of them rolling around on the bed fighting before Jake noticed the flash.

"Shit, she has a camera" said Jake. Josh stopped hitting his brother and quickly started advancing towards where Victoria was standing. Her flight or fight mechanism kicked in and she quickly fled the room. Josh caught up with her as her hand was on the front door.

"Where do you think your going?" asked Josh.

"Nowhere" said Victoria trying not to struggle. "Just checking if the newspaper came."

"I find it hard to believe that there will be a newspaper outside of this door" said Josh. "Jake hold her and lets see if there really is a newspaper." Josh passed Victoria to Jake who squeezed her hard as if showing his displeasure. Josh opened the door and leaned over, Victoria kicked him hard in the ass and watched with pleasure as he fell on his face and the door shut behind him.

"Victoria, let me in" yelled Josh from the hallway. Jake released Victoria because he was laughing hysterically.

"Josh, I suggest you stop yelling, before someone comes out to investigate" said Victoria.

"Please let me in, there are already people out here" said Josh pleadingly. Victoria looked back at Jake who was rolling around on the floor and opened the door. Josh burst through the door and grabbed Victoria carrying her through to the bedroom before dropping her on the bed. He had her pinned to the bed and was sitting on her.

"You can't sit on me it hurts" said Victoria.

"You are so dead, I can't believe that you are even talking" said Josh.

"You can't kill me, I haven't bought my car yet" said Victoria struggling to keep her breathing even.

"Josh, get off of her" said Jake.

"No way, she deserves to be punished" said Josh.

"Josh, man it was just a joke" said Jake.

"I think I should get retribution" said Josh.

"What do you want?" asked Victoria.

"I want you to go out into the hallway in your underwear" said Josh.

"Are you serious?" asked Victoria disbelievingly.

"Yes, an eye for an eye" said Josh.

"Fine" said Victoria. Josh eyed her for a minute before moving. Victoria stood up and stripped out of her pants and shirt, she walked out of the bedroom and out the front door of her apartment letting the door close behind her. Josh and Jake were both completely gobsmacked.

"Alright you idiots, let me back in" called Victoria from the hallway. Josh walked over to the front door and opened it without a word. Victoria walked back in and quickly slipped back into her pajamas. She moved into the kitchen and started pulling things out to make breakfast.

"What do you need help with?" asked Jake walking into the kitchen.

"How about you crack some eggs" said Victoria handing him the eggs and a bowl. She started to dice the onions and peppers. Josh sat down on one of the barstools on the other side of the kitchen counter, he was still mad at Victoria and he realized at the quickness she did his requested task that he'd asked for too little. His retribution felt hollow, somehow her lack of embarrassment made her act insufficient. Jake and Victoria quickly made three omelets and some fried potatoes. Victoria set Josh's plate in front of him before hopping up onto the counter to eat her breakfast leaving the other barstool free for Jake. All three ate in silence, neither wanted to be the first to say anything. After breakfast Victoria went into her room to shower and change leaving Jake and Josh alone.

"I guess we should do the dishes" said Jake walking to the sink.

"Fine" said Josh angrily.

"I don't know what you're so upset about" said Jake evenly.

"She didn't even care, didn't even show an ounce of embarrassment when she walked out the door" said Josh.

"Yeah, probably because she's been asked to do a lot worse by other people she's worked for" said Jake "Don't be mad at her because she didn't react the way you wanted her to."

"I hate it when you make sense" said Josh. "Thankfully it's not very often."

Victoria sat quietly in her bathtub wondering if she really wanted to buy the car. She wondered if taking an anxiety pill would make her too sleepy to properly test drive the car. Taking a deep breath she sunk beneath the water, opening her eyes she stared at the distorted ceiling until she could no longer hold her breath. Breaking the surface of the water she took a huge breath and repeated the process until she was slightly dizzy. Getting out of the bathtub she quickly dried herself off and started blow drying her hair. She sat at her dressing table and studied herself in the mirror while working on her hair. It was a process she did fairly often, she studied her face moving it through each emotion, happiness, sadness, and so on before making it completely blank. It was her favorite expression, nothingness. As she finished her little ritual she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in" she replied. Josh walked through the door slightly surprised to find Victoria dressed in nothing but a towel.

"I wanted to apologize for earlier" he said repentantly.

"It's ok, it certainly wasn't the worst thing I've been asked to do" said Victoria.

"It was still immature of me to ask you to do that" said Josh. "Well I guess I probably shouldn't have kicked you in the butt either" said Victoria. "After all you are my boss."

"I'm not your boss, just your friend" said Josh. Victoria's face broke into a radiant smile.

"No one has ever said that to me before" said Victoria, her voice slightly awe struck.

"Well I'm sure you've never had a bunch of fisherman for bosses" said Josh.

"Very true. Are you ready to go test drive some cars?" asked Victoria.

"Yep, do you think I'm appropriately dressed?" asked Josh looking down at his jeans and shirt.

"I think you look great" said Victoria.

"Um, you do too" said Josh.

"Well thanks, but I'm not going to wear the towel to the car dealerships" said Victoria.

"You might get one hell of a deal if you did" said Josh. Victoria walked into her closet and closed the door so she could change without Josh seeing her. She emerged a second later dressed in a pair of black leggings and a shirt dress.

"Does the outfit say give me a good price?" asked Victoria doing a little spin.

"It definitely says I'm hot" said Josh.

"Close enough" said Victoria. She left Jake and Josh in the apartment for a minute while she went down the hall to borrow a neighbor's car. When she returned the guys were ready to go.

Arriving at the first car dealership Victoria and the boys test drove the first car, an Acura TSX. Driving with Victoria proved to be a little much for everyone in the car to handle, but she settled down quickly. The test drive and sales pitch almost made them late for the next appointment. The Benz dealership she went to was very high end, offering them coffee and snacks while they perused the pamphlets about the cars. The test drive went well but Victoria didn't really feel like the car was her. The final dealership was the BMW dealership, specifically the mini cooper division. The second they walked into the place Jake and Josh knew she was going to get a mini. Her eyes lit up at each model she looked at and when she took the car out for a test drive there was no missing her smile which stretched from ear to ear. When they got back to the dealership Victoria got out of the car and smoothed out her dress before turning to the salesman.

"I'll take it, do you have it in the pretty blue color" she said with a smile. The salesman looked slightly shocked but recovered quickly.

"Of course we have it in that color. Let's go pick out exactly which car you want. Victoria got the one with all the options specifically picking out the model with all the upgrades. Later when they were sitting in the little financing booth Jake and Josh wondered if she was a little over her head.

"So, as you know we have a protection plan that offers extra warranty extensions" said the salesman.

"I'll take it" said Victoria.

"Ok, well the total I have for the car is $42,000 dollars" said the salesman.

"Well, I think that's a little high. I'm going to pay by credit card which is basically like paying cash, so I think you should drop the price a bit." replied Victoria.

"Um, I'll have to talk to the finance guys this price is a pretty good deal for everything you are getting" said the salesman.

"I'd like to talk to the finance guy then" said Victoria sternly. The salesman got up and retrieved the head of the finance who brought back the second offer for $39,000. Victoria smiled at the paper before looking up.

"It's getting better, but still not good enough" she said.

"Miss, I think it's a very good price" said the finance guy.

"I'm sure it is, but I happen to know that you sold a car exactly like this to one of my friends and he only paid $27,000 for it. He got it at cost because he's someone famous. Now I know I'm not famous, but I've worked for a lot of famous people so I know how all this works. I'm willing to pay $30,000 for this car, you can scan my credit card right now and I'll walk out the door a happy camper. If not I'll call up my famous friend and have him come down and help me get his price" said Victoria.

"I don't know who your friend is but I can assure you that he didn't get that price" said the finance guy. Victoria crooked her finger for the finance guy to come closer then whispered the name into his ear. His eyes went wide and he turned a rather molted shade of red.

"I think we can work something out for you" he said pulling the contract off the desk and walking into the managers office. The salesman excused himself leaving Victoria and the boys by themselves.

"Victoria, we clearly underestimated your negotiating skills" said Jake. "I'm bringing you with me next time I buy a car."

"Who's name did you just drop" asked Josh.

"Confidentiality agreement" said Victoria. After waiting less than 10 minutes Victoria had the contract in front of her, she read it carefully before signing it and handing over her credit card. A further 20 minutes later and she was driving her mini cooper S out the door. Josh drove her neighbors car back to the apartment and once the keys were dropped off the trio sped off to test the car's legs. Jake and Josh both got a chance to try out the car before they returned to the apartment. Victoria slid the car into her assigned spot and smiled, she'd done it, she'd bought something substantial.

"Victoria are you getting out of the car?" asked Josh.

"Yes" said Victoria giving the steering wheel a final squeeze. Back up in the apartment Josh searched the fridge for the bottle of champagne he'd seen earlier.

"Can we open this in celebration of your car?" he asked.

"Sure" said Victoria. Josh opened the bottle while Victoria got down the champagne glasses.

"I'd like to propose a toast" said Jake. "To Victoria and her new Mini, a perfect car for such a little girl."

"Cheers" said Victoria clinking her glass. "Thanks for all your help."

"It was worth the trip down just to see you negotiate" said Jake.

"Well I've learned a lot of techniques from a lot of people" said Victoria. Jake and Josh used Victoria's computer to make their plane reservations for the next day. To celebrate their last night in town they hit up Geisha House for dinner and then went clubbing at the Gate. Arriving back at Victoria's house after 2 they all fell asleep on the couch watching infomercials. Victoria drove them to the airport the next day, telling them she'd see them in a little over a month for the promotional tour.

Victoria pulled into the parking lot of the Beverly Center, she had a gift to buy and she hoped that some store in the mega mall would have what she was looking for. She walked through the mall drifting from one home furnishing store to another. Wandering into a small antique type store she found the perfect gift. She bought it and had the store wrap it in the most nautical wrapping they had, which happened to be plain brown paper. Victoria required help carrying it down to the car and the store employee was kind enough to assist her. Arriving at home she collapsed on the couch and took out her phone. She sat staring at it for a few minutes debating whether to call or text. Making her decision she dialed Norman's cell number.

"Hello?" said Norman.

"Hi Norman it's Victoria."

"Hey Elf, how are you doing?" asked Norman happily.

"I'm good. I was wondering if your offer was still on the table?" asked Victoria biting her lip waiting for him to answer.

"The offer to come stay with me?" asked Norman.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"Of course, when are you flying up?" asked Norman.

"I'm not going to fly, I'm going to drive. I just got a new car." said Victoria.

"You can't drive all the way up here by yourself" said Norman. "Why not. It won't take me that long." said Victoria defensively.

"Victoria it will take you at least 18 hours to drive up here" said Norman. "It's just not safe for you to drive all the way by yourself." Victoria didn't say anything, she hadn't quite realized how far it really was. She saw Norman's point, but she didn't want to fly, she wanted to drive.

"Victoria are you still there? Or are you just pouting on the phone?" said Norman.

"I really want to drive Gary" said Victoria.

"Who the hell is Gary" snapped Norman.

"My new car. His name is Gary Cooper" said Victoria. "He's a mini cooper S."

"You named your car?" asked Norman.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard" said Norman.

"I find that hard to believe" said Victoria.

"Well maybe not the stupidest, but it's right up there" said Norman.

"You're hurting my feelings" said Victoria.

"I'm sorry" said Norman contritely.

"So are you going to give me your address so I can come visit you" said Victoria.

"I'm serious about it not being safe for you to drive all by yourself" said Norman.

"Fine, I'll take someone with me" said Victoria. "A driving partner so I can drive in the carpool lanes, then I'll just drop them off at the airport before I come see you. How about that?"

"I don't believe that you are going to do it, I think you are just going to get in your little car and drive up here by yourself" said Norman.

"Don't you trust me?" asked Victoria.

"I do trust you" said Norman quietly. "Call me a lot while you are driving up and once you get to the airport I'll give you directions to my house. When are you going to leave?"

"I have to find someone to go with me first, I'll try to leave tomorrow" said Victoria.

"I can't wait to see you. Please drive safe" said Norman.

"Roger" said Victoria hanging up the phone. She walked into her room and pulled out her suitcase, she packed enough clothes for a month, figuring she'd probably just stay up there until the promotion tour started. Next she looked at the huge cache of medication she had in her medicine cabinet, they all had a purpose but she was hesitant to bring everything. Sighing she put them all into her travel bag along with her toiletries. Once she was all packed she pulled out her phone and sent Tricks a message.

"Road Trip??" was all it said. Tricks called her back immediately and Victoria explained the situation. Tricks was completely on board telling Victoria she'd be ready to leave after traffic in the morning. Smiling to herself Victoria climbed into bed and fell asleep, dreams of Norman dancing in her head.

The road trip was quicker than either girl thought it would be, the traffic gods were smiling on them and they didn't hit any major snags. They stopped often to eat and stretch their legs and credit cards. Victoria called Norman each time she stopped keeping him updated on her progress. Norman for his part was cleaning up his house readying it for Victoria's arrival. He debated calling Sig and Edgar to tell them she was coming to town, but dismissed it, knowing them they'd find out soon enough. Norman had taken special care in buying groceries, trying to remember everything Victoria had cooked and eaten on the boat. He was shocked when Victoria called him at 2 am telling him she just dropped off Tricks at a hotel. Giving her his address he watched the clock wondering how long it would take her to get to his house, she was at his doorstep by 3:30 am.

"I'm here" said Victoria as soon as Norman opened the door.

"You made really good time, you must have been flying" said Norman.

"I have something in the car for you" said Victoria.

"Ok, lets park your car in the garage" said Norman.

"His name is Gary" said Victoria.

"There is no way I'm calling your car Gary" said Norman.

"You are going to hurt his feelings" said Victoria.

"I'll risk it" said Norman walking out to Victoria's car. Victoria pulled it into the garage and popped the trunk. She pulled her suitcase and travel bag out of the trunk and pointed to the large wrapped package.

"That's for you, do you think you can carry it in. It's too heavy for me" said Victoria.

"Of course, anything for you" said Norman. Victoria just smiled and followed Norman back into the house. She set her bags inside the door and followed Norman into a beautifully rustic living room. She sat down on the couch encouraging Norman to open his gift. Norman excitedly tore into the paper and opened the box, his eyes crew wide as he pulled out a globe of the world.

"Victoria, this is beautiful" he said reverently.

"I thought so, and it's kind of nautical" said Victoria.

"This must have cost a fortune" said Norman.

"Any price is worth it to see you smile like it's Christmas morning" said Victoria happily.

"You truly live up to your nickname" said Norman. He picked up the globe and walked out of the room. Victoria stood up and followed him into a study crammed with books. Norman set the globe on the corner of the huge desk in the center of the room.

"It really ties the room together" said Victoria.

"I love that movie" said Norman. "And I agree it does look good in here." Victoria wandered around looking at the titles of the books on the shelves.

"Would you mind if I read some of these while I'm here" asked Victoria.

"Sure. What kind of books do you like to read? I have a little of everything" said Norman.

"I like everything except maybe how to books" said Victoria. "I'll never really have a desire to know how to fix my own dishwasher or anything."

"I couldn't really imagine you fixing a dishwasher" said Norman. "Are you hungry or thirsty?"

"No, but I am tired" said Victoria.

"Lets get you to bed" said Norman. He got her suitcase from the door and headed upstairs to the bedrooms.

"You'll have to give me the official tour tomorrow, but from what I've seen your house is amazing" said Victoria.

"Thank you, I like it. I've done a lot of work on it to make it suit me" said Norman proudly. He stopped abruptly in the hallway and Victoria ran right in to him.

"Sorry, but I didn't see your break lights go on" she said with a yawn.

"Sorry to stop so suddenly" said Norman before turning into the second room in the hallway. He set her suitcase on the floor and turned on the light in the guest bedroom. Victoria sat down on the bed and slipped off her shoes before jumping up and down on the bed a few times. Norman just watched her with a smile on his face. He'd debated putting her in his room but thought that was a little presumptuous of him. He watched as she laid back on the pillows and closed her eyes still wearing her jeans and sweater.

"Victoria, you need to change clothes" said Norman walking over and pulling her to a sitting position.

"I know" said Victoria slowly opening her eyes. "Will you pick out something for me?" Norman walked over the suitcase and opened up, he was shocked at the sheer number of garments packed into the bag, luckily for him a set of shamrock pajamas were right on top. He pulled out the pants and the tank top and walked them back to the bed. Setting them on the bed next to Victoria he was surprised when she just put her arms up in the air. Norman smiled and pulled her sweater over her head for her, Victoria then slipped on the tank top before removing her bra. Next she laid back and undid the button on her jeans before wiggling her feet, Norman reached down and pulled the jeans off of her. He looked at her little pink panties as he slid the pants down her legs. Victoria reached over and pulled on her pajama pants before crawling up the bed. Norman tucked her in and told her he was right across the hallway if she needed anything. Victoria didn't really hear anything he said because she was already falling asleep. Norman walked out of the room leaving the door cracked open. He walked across the hall to his room where he changed and climbed into his own bed.

Victoria woke up slightly disoriented about 6 hours later, the bright sun was streaming through a small opening in the curtains and directly into her eyes. She stretched and got out of bed in search of the bathroom. She found one down the hall used it and went to find Norman. Victoria found him still fast asleep in his bed, she debated for about a minute before burrowing under the covers. Norman felt the shift in the bed and felt Victoria snuggle up to him and lay her head on his chest.

"Good Morning" said Norman his voice husky from sleep.

"Morning" said Victoria from his chest. "I've missed your heartbeat."

"It's missed you too" said Norman.

"What about the rest of you?" asked Victoria.

"Every part of me has missed you" said Norman stroking Victoria's hair. "You changed your hair."

"I got it colored a little more caramel colored with red highlights instead of blond. Do you like it?"

"It looks really good on you" said Norman. Victoria sat up slightly and shook her head tossing her hair around.

"It looks better when it's brushed" said Victoria. Norman was struck at how pretty she was, even sleep tussled she was sexy as hell.

"It looks perfect right now" said Norman threading his fingers through her hair and pulling Victoria towards him. Their lips met in a tender kiss. Victoria felt as if a bolt of electricity had shocked her, the kiss was so sweet yet behind it she could sense the passionate need. Norman opened his mouth teasing Victoria's lips with the tip of his tongue. The contact made Victoria gasp and Norman wasted no time slipping his tongue into her mouth. The kiss deepened and before Victoria realized it she was on top of Norman grinding herself rather wantonly against him. Norman was pretty sure he was having the best morning of his life, Victoria felt so good on top of him and the kisses were making it hard to breath. Moving his hands down to Victoria's butt he squeezed her to him guiding her movements. As she made one particularly hard stroke he couldn't stop the moan that was torn from his throat. Victoria pulled back and sat up to give herself more leverage. Norman looked up at her watching as she continued to circle her hips, he slipped one hand up her shirt and cupped her breast. Victoria's head dropped back and she arched her back begging for more contact. Norman's other hand abandoned her butt and quickly palmed the over breast. Victoria was in sensory overload, her body was on fire. Norman desperately wanted to see more of her, touch more of her and taste more of her. Sitting up he shifted Victoria back slightly and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside. Victoria for her part drew Norman's shirt over his heads revealing an incredible set of muscles.

"Wow" she said tracing her fingers along his chest and down his stomach. Norman rolled them over and was soon on top of Victoria lavishing her neck with kisses before moving down to feast on her exposed breasts. Victoria's hands caressed Norman's stomach before making their way to the waistband of his pajama pants, her fingers traced along the edge before she slipping her hand inside and stroking him. Norman sucked harder on her the second her hand came into contact with him, he was so close to the edge and her soft hand touching him was almost too much. Moving his hand down he slipped into her pajamas stroking her through the satin of her panties before slipping beneath them to touch her directly. She was hot and very wet, he pulled his hand out and pushed Victoria's hand off him gently. Next he moved down her body pulling off her pajama bottoms and panties revealing her fully to his gaze.

"God you are beautiful" said Norman. Victoria blushed from the compliment then hooked her toes into Norman's waistband and forced his pants down. Norman looked shocked and Victoria just smirked.

"Fair's fair" she said. Pulling Norman down on top of her she reveled at the skin to skin contact then spread her legs in silent invitation. Looking into Victoria's eyes Norman watched her nod her head, that was all he needed and he slid into her. She was incredibly tight and for a moment he wondered if she was virgin, but from the look on her face and her pleads for him to go faster he quickly dismissed the thought. Norman knew he wouldn't last long and quickly slipped a hand down to where they were joined and flicked Victoria's clit. That was all the stimulation she needed and she tipped over the edge taking Norman with her. Norman rolled off of her, slightly out of breath. Victoria rolled onto her side laying her head on his chest and listening to his racing heartbeat. After a few minutes Victoria started to feel the sweat cooling on her skin making her breakout in gooseflesh.

"Ready for a shower?" asked Norman.

"Yes, preferably a nice hot one" said Victoria.

"Follow me" said Norman getting out of bed. Victoria walked behind him into the master bath admiring his toned bottom the whole way. Her eyes slowly moved away from his ass to take in the bathroom, it was huge. It contained a whirlpool tub, shower stall with bench, two vanity sinks and a separate room for the toilet. Fluffy towels hung from each towel bar and there were even decorative soaps in a soap dish on the sink.

"It's a lovely bathroom" said Victoria.

"Thanks, I had a decorator do it" said Norman. "Personally I think those soaps are a little pointless." Turning on the shower Norman and Victoria both waited for the water to heat before stepping inside. There was definitely room for two but the room was unneeded since the occupants couldn't keep their hands off each other. They played in the shower culminating with Norman taking Victoria up against the shower wall which required both to rewash their bodies. Stepping out of the shower Victoria wrapped a towel around her and used another to dry her hair. Norman dried himself then slung the towel around his waist before walking to his closet. He was dressed before Victoria had even stepped out of the bathroom, when she did appear she found her suitcase sitting on the floor next to his closet.

"I thought it would just be more convenient" said Norman with a smile. Victoria smiled at him before bending over to pick out some clothes, Norman took the opportunity to squeeze her butt. Victoria stood up and quickly got dressed knowing if she stayed in the towel longer they would never leave the bedroom.

Norman led her downstairs to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Victoria took a seat on one of the chairs and looked out the kitchen window, it was just forest, she couldn't even see the house next door. Norman handed her a cup of coffee which she accepted it gratefully and immediately took a sip.

"What do you want for breakfast?" he asked.

"Whatever, I'm starving" said Victoria. Norman turned around and started pulling eggs and sausage out of the fridge. He set it on the counter and noticed that his answering machine light was blinking. He debated ignoring it, but chances were that it was Edgar or Sig and they didn't react well to being ignored. Starting the meat on the stove he hit play on the answering machine.

_Norm. Where are you? Louise wanted to know if you wanted to come to a barbeque this weekend, she has another friend she wants you to meet. Call me back._

The second message was more of the same, it wasn't until the third message that Norman started to get a little concerned.

_Dude, where are you? I've been calling all morning. If you don't call back in the next 30 minutes I'm coming over to check on you._

The time stamp on the message was over an hour ago. Norman stared at the clock then grabbed his cell phone frantically dialing Edgar's number.

"Dude, where've you been? I called you three times this morning" said Edgar.

"I've been home, just not picking up the phone" said Norman.

"Well, I got worried. I'm almost to your place" said Edgar.

"I'm fine" said Norman.

"You sound different. What's up?" asked Edgar suspiciously.

"God Edgar, don't you have other things to do besides harass me" said Norman. Victoria got up from her chair to check on the sausage. She listened to Norman's end of the conversation and assumed that Edgar was indeed on his way. She put a few more pieces of sausage in the pan, she wondered if Edgar would notice that they were eating breakfast at 1 in the afternoon.

"Fine Edgar, I'll see you in a few minutes" said Norman hanging up the phone.

"Do you want me to hide?" asked Victoria.

"Only if I can hide with you" said Norman rubbing his forehead. Victoria moved the sausages onto a plate then got out another pan and started making a few fried eggs.

"He'd figure out you're here, he's like Sherlock Holmes" said Norman.

"Do you think he'd figure out it's me or just a girl?" asked Victoria. Norman didn't have a chance to answer because he heard the doorbell ring, then the door knob rattle and finally the sound of a key in the lock.

"He has his own key?" asked Victoria.

"For emergencies" said Norman.

"Norman, what the hell-o Victoria" said Edgar walking into the kitchen.

"Hi Edgar, would you like some breakfast?" asked Victoria.

"Breakfast? I had breakfast 5 hours ago" said Edgar looking between Norman and Victoria.

"Victoria got a new car and she drove it up last night" said Norman. Victoria and Edgar both looked at Norman surprised he volunteered an explanation for Victoria's presence.

"You drove up here by yourself?" said Edgar.

"No, I drove up with a friend and dropped her off at the hotel then came here" explained Victoria.

"You drove up with a friend and then left her at a hotel?" asked Edgar.

"She just came up with me for the road trip, she had to go back to work, she probably flew out this morning" said Victoria.

"Probably?" asked Edgar.

"I haven't checked my phone yet" said Victoria.

"Where is your phone?" asked Edgar.

"It's in my purse" said Victoria suddenly getting the feeling of being in a police interrogation room.

"Which is where?" asked Edgar.

"The front door or the guest bedroom" said Victoria.

"Sherlock Holmes" muttered Norman.

"Did you two have sex this morning?" asked Edgar suddenly. Victoria turned back to the stove barely salvaging the two eggs cooking in the pan. She slid them onto a plate and cracked a few more into the pan studiously avoiding looking at anyone.

"Oh my God you did" said Edgar with a smile. "Well you are invited to the barbeque too Victoria, although I'll have to set Louise's friend up with someone else, since Normy will already have a date."

"Alright Edgar, would you like some lunch/breakfast" said Victoria setting a plate in front of Norman.

"I could eat" said Edgar. Victoria set a plate of sausage and eggs in front of Edgar before serving herself. She carried the coffee pot over and refilled hers and Norman's cup then poured Edgar one.

"Since the interrogation is over would you like to see my car after breakfast?" asked Victoria.

"Where is the car?" asked Edgar.

"Gary is in the garage" replied Victoria with a gleeful smile.

"You named your car Gary?" asked Edgar sliding a look at Norman who just rolled his eyes.

"Yep, Gary Cooper. He's a mini cooper S" explained Victoria.

"That's very clever" said Edgar.

"Don't encourage her" said Norman.

"Here's a helpful hint about relationships Norman, the pretty lady is always right" said Edgar with an indulgent smile.

"Don't patronize me" said Victoria. She finished her food and coffee and set the dirty dishes in the sink. Then she went in search of her purse, which it turned out was still in the guest bedroom.

The moment Victoria disappeared from the room Norman turned to Edgar pinning him with an angry look.

"Don't tell anyone about this" said Norman.

"Why? If you're happy we're happy" said Edgar with a smile.

"Technically we are her bosses and she could get in trouble. Plus it's new and I don't want to fuck it up" said Norman.

"I don't think we are her bosses I think the discovery channel is her boss, maybe Sig is partially. But there is probably no rule about sleeping with her bosses in her contract. As for the new thing, you were practically inseparable on the boat, it's not really that new, you've seen each other at you're worst, hell she almost died on the boat. Everyone on the boat knows you care for her and all our wives know all about her because we got grilled with questions when we got home" said Edgar. "I know this is new for you Norman but I assure you that people have been dating for a long time, you are not the first."

"I've dated" said Norman defensively.

"Yes, although I've never seen a date that started at your house after a 20 hour drive" said Edgar.

"It only took her 17 hours to get here" said Norman.

"No shit, she's a speed demon, I can't wait to watch her drive" said Edgar his eyes taking on a maniacal gleam.

"Do you want to see the gift she got me?" asked Norman.

"She brought your a gift?" asked Edgar in surprise.

"Yeah, it's in the library" said Norman.

"So she drove up with a friend, who she dumped at a hotel so she could catch a plane back to LA and brought you a present? I think she likes you" said Edgar waggling his eyebrows. Norman didn't respond, he just started walking out of the kitchen. Edgar followed behind him again marveling at the beauty of Norman's house. It was so Norman, quiet, understated, yet completely refined. He walked into the library and saw that Norman was admiring something on his desk.

"Wow Norm, when did you get this globe" said Edgar spinning it around.

"Victoria gave it to me" said Norman.

"This is beautiful, it goes so well in here. Did you show her pictures of the room or something?" asked Edgar.

"No, she'd never been here before she arrived last night" said Norman.

"She is an amazing little elf" said Edgar. "Speaking of elf where is she?" Norman just shrugged and gave the globe a final spin before walking back into the kitchen. When he arrived he saw that Victoria had done all the dishes.

"Ready to go for a ride?" she asked turning around.

"Yes" said Edgar and Norman.

In the garage Victoria watched as Edgar scowled before getting into the backseat. Victoria promised he could ride in the front or even drive later, which seemed to appease him slightly. Edgar sat behind Victoria alternating between pulling her hair and giving Norman wet willies. Victoria stopped at the end of the driveway.

"I need to program a destination into the GPS so I know where I'm going" she said.

"Lets go to Sig's house, he'd love to see you" said Edgar.

"Edgar" said Norman warningly. But Edgar would not be discouraged and gave Victoria the address to Sig's house.

"Is this ok with you?" Victoria asked Norman.

"Yeah" said Norman petulantly.

"I'll try to make it up to you later" said Victoria with a sexy smile. Norman couldn't stop the smile from spreading over his face.

"Alright he's happy, lets see what this little car can do" said Edgar from the backseat.

"Ok, hold on tight" said Victoria as she pealed out of Norman's driveway. She sped along the small roads leading to the main highway. The GPS prompted her for each turn she needed to make which she did flawlessly. Edgar and Norman were completely silent for the ride, both concentrating on Victoria's driving and wondering if their wills were updated. When they got onto Sig's street Victoria decided to try out a little trick she'd learned. Pulling up to Sig's house at the end of the cul-de-sac she pulled the emergency break making the car spin a perfect 180 and stop about 6 inches from the curb. Victoria put the car in park and turned off the engine.

"Well, what did you think?" asked Victoria turning towards Norman and Edgar.

"Where did you learn to drive?" asked Edgar.

"LA" replied Victoria.

"And the little move at the end?" asked Edgar.

"Um, from a guy I rented a car from once" said Victoria. Norman opened the door and got out of the car feeling very happy to be on the sidewalk. He wondered if she'd let Edgar drive the car on the way back to his house, he felt it would probably be a little bit safer.

"You are a brave man to date someone who drives like that" said Edgar clapping Norman on the back. Victoria locked the car and gave it a tender pat before she caught up with Edgar and Norman.

"You sure you don't want to give him a little kiss" said Norman.

"Gary knows we don't have that kind of relationship" said Victoria. Sig opened the door before they even rang the bell.

"What are you doing here Elf?" he asked giving her a hug.

"I'm visiting Norman" said Victoria. Sig's eyebrows shot up but he chose not to comment.

"How did you get here?" asked Sig.

"I drove, that's my new little car" said Victoria pointing to the mini.

"Why didn't you call first, we could have bought some steaks or something" said Sig.

"We would have but we were holding on for dear life while she was driving" said Edgar.

"Right" said Sig. "Well come in, my wife has been dying to meet you Victoria." The group walked into the house following Sig into the huge den where June and his daughter were watching TV.

"June, you'll never guess who just popped in" said Sig.

"Hi Edgar and Norman" said June standing up to give both brothers a hug.

"I'm Victoria, it's lovely to meet you" said Victoria shaking June's hand and waiving to the girl sitting on the couch.

"Victoria as in Elf?" asked June.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"You didn't do her justice when you described her Sig" said June. Victoria smiled shyly trying very hard not to blush but failing miserably. "This is our daughter Alexis."

"Apparently Victoria drove up here to visit Norman" interrupted Sig.

"Really?" said June clasping Victoria's hand and pulling her towards the couch. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing fine, all recovered from my surgeries" said Victoria.

"That's good to hear. It sounded like you were pretty sick out there" said June.

"I guess I was, but honestly I felt like I was safe the whole time. Even though the pain was terrible I never thought anyone would have let me die" said Victoria.

"We wouldn't have Elf, even if we had to let Edgar perform the surgery on the galley floor" said Sig.

"What a disgusting picture Sig. Why don't you make yourself useful and take your brothers somewhere so I can talk to the girl in peace" said June.

"Wanna beer" asked Sig. "Sounds like you could use one after the ride you just had." Both Edgar and Norman nodded and followed Sig into the kitchen.

"I wanted to say thank you for the spa day" said June as soon as the guys were out of earshot. Victoria's eyes widened and she started to shake her head. "Don't bother trying to deny it, I know he didn't buy it because he couldn't tell me the name of the spa."

"I'm glad you and Alexis liked it" said Victoria.

"It was so awesome" said Alexis.

"What did you get done?" asked Victoria.

"I got a stone massage and mom got some sort of salt wrap" said Alexis.

"Sounds like fun. I love going to spas" said Victoria.

"It was a very generous gift, it even included lunch" said June. "Well you deserve a little love and pampering on Valentine's day even if your Valentine isn't home" said Victoria.

"Speaking of Valentines are you and Norman dating?" asked June.

"Um, it's a little early for me to say" said Victoria.

"I understand" said June.

"What kind of car did you buy?" asked Alexis.

"A mini cooper S, his name is Gary. Gary Cooper" said Victoria.

"What a cool name" said Alexis. "Do you think I could go for a ride in it with you sometime?"

"We could go now if you want" said Victoria. "Do you want to come too?"

"No thanks, you girls go, I want to keep an eye on the boys" said June.

"Do you need anything from the store?" asked Victoria. "You know since we're going out."

"Let me ask Sig" said June. The girls got up and walked into the kitchen and then through to the back porch where the guys were all smoking.

"Sig, Victoria and Alexis are going to a ride in her car. Do you want them to pick anything up for you at the store?" asked June. Edgar and Norman's eyes both widened at June's statement.

"Do you want to have these idiots and Victoria over for dinner?" asked Sig.

"I'm sure Victoria is tired from her drive and probably wants to rest at some point and Edgar should get home to his wife. Maybe another time" replied June.

"In that case no" said Sig.

"Lets go" said Victoria. Alexis grabbed a purse and slipped on some shoes then followed Victoria out to the car.

"I can't believe you let her go" said Edgar. "Victoria is a demon behind the wheel."

"She'll be fine" said June taking a drag off of Sig's cigarette.

"When did you become so cool?" asked Sig.

"Because she's a nice, honest girl and she buys great presents" said June with a smile.

"You should see what she got Norman" said Edgar. "It's this awesome nautical globe."

"I'd love to see it" said Sig.

"Maybe we should have the barbeque at Norman's tomorrow instead of my house, then everyone could see it" suggested Edgar.

"Fine" said Norman rolling his eyes.

"Wow, she's already having an effect on you" said Edgar with a smirk. Norman just smiled and shook his head, it was true he'd never volunteered to host a party.

Victoria and Alexis were speeding down the road heading to a coffee shop that Alexis had suggested. They were blaring the music and signing along. Pulling into the parking lot Victoria parked and followed Alexis into the little coffee shop. Ordering their drinks they snagged a cushy booth and settled in for a chat.

"So you're a personal assistant. Is that a cool job?" asked Alexis.

"At times, it depends on who your bosses are and what they expect of you. I've had jobs where I'm just a glorified maid or others where I've been called in the middle of the night to go out and get soup because someone has a cold. Personally I recommend being the one with the assistant rather than being the assistant" said Victoria.

"How did you end up working with Deadliest Catch?" asked Alexis.

"I worked for Thom Beers years ago and this position was open so he called in a favor" said Victoria. "I'd never even watched the show before I accepted the job."

"What did you think about being on the boat?" asked Alexis.

"Kind of sick, very scared but eventually it became bearable and I learned a few things. I would even say it had it's fun moments" said Victoria.

"Dad hasn't been able to stop talking about you" said Alexis.

"I hope it's been all good things" said Victoria.

"It has, like how you were a lot stronger than he thought you'd be, that you never complained and that you almost died" said Alexis.

"Well I can be one of the few people that can say they've ridden in a rescue helicopter" said Victoria with a smile.

"Do you really like my uncle Norman?" asked Alexis.

"Yes I do" said Victoria quietly.

"He deserves someone nice" said Alexis. "You seem really nice."

"Thank you, I always try to be nice" said Victoria. The girls chatted for another 20 minutes before they stood up and left the coffee shop. Once they got to the car Victoria stopped and handed Alexis the keys.

"Why don't you drive" she said.

"Really?" said Alexis.

"Yeah, if you don't know how to drive stick I can teach you" said Victoria.

"Uncle Edgar taught me" said Alexis. She quickly climbed behind the wheel and adjusted the seat. After a few rough starts Alexis was driving like a pro. Victoria considered teaching her the 180 trick but decided it would have to wait for another time. Alexis pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. Before she'd even gotten out of the car Sig, Edgar and Norman were already out the door.

"You let her drive your car?" asked Sig.

"Yes, she did a really good job" said Victoria.

"It was probably the safer option" muttered Edgar.

"Why were you guys gone so long?" asked Sig.

"We stopped for coffee" said Alexis. "Chill out dad."

"Are you guys ready to go?" asked Victoria.

"Yes, Edgar has to get home" said Norman with a smile.

"Ok, let me go say goodbye to June" said Victoria disappearing into the house.

"Have a nice drive back and take good care of Elf. See you both tomorrow" said Sig. Victoria appeared and handed the keys to Norman before climbing into the backseat. Edgar snatched the keys from him and climbed into the driver seat. Norman just sighed and got into the passenger seat as he looked into the back seat he saw that Victoria had laid down and her eyes were closed.

"Stop making goo goo eyes at your girlfriend and change the music" said Edgar sliding the car into reverse.

"Don't hurt the car" said Norman fiddling with the satellite radio.

"I won't hurt Gary anymore than she does" said Edgar flooring it. They arrived at Norman's house and Victoria was sound asleep. Picking her up Norman carried her into the living room and laid her on the couch. Edgar said his good byes even dropping a kiss on Victoria's forehead before driving home. Norman moved to the kitchen to make dinner.


	13. Chapter 13

Victoria was drawn from sleep by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. She sat up and stretched before following her nose into the kitchen. Norman was leaning over the sink draining some pasta when he heard Victoria slide into a kitchen chair.

"Sleeping Beauty you're awake" he said over his shoulder.

"Chef Norman dinner smells delicious" said Victoria.

"It's shrimp scampi, I hope you like it" said Norman.

"That's one of my favorite dishes" said Victoria happily.

"You made it on the boat" mentioned Norman.

"I can't believe you remembered that" said Victoria. Norman just smiled and served the plates of pasta then opened a bottle of white wine.

"Lets eat in the dinning room, it never gets used" said Norman. Victoria carried the plates while Norman carried the wine and glasses. The dining room was filled with a mahogany dinning room set and the table was set for two complete with lit candles.

"How romantic" said Victoria setting the plates down on the placemats.

"What can I say you inspire me" said Norman. Once they were both seated Victoria decided to propose a toast.

"To a wonderful evening" she said clinking her glass to Norman's.

"And many more" said Norman. The pair ate dinner chatting about the party Norman had volunteered to host. Victoria got up and retrieved a few sheets of paper to make some notes about the party.

"You are ridiculously organized" said Norman. "Where did you learn that from?"

"Assistant school" said Victoria.

"Really" said Norman clearly calling her bluff.

"Just kidding, it's just something I do, it makes me confident I'm not going to forget anything. Plus I love crossing things off a to do list, it makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something" said Victoria. "By the way why did you volunteer to host the party?"

"Because everyone wanted to see the globe you got me" said Norman.

"I'm glad you like it" said Victoria. The pair spent a little while longer going over party plans before getting up and doing the dishes together.

"So who am I going to meet tomorrow?" asked Victoria as she finished drying the last dish.

"You will meet Edgar's family, Nick's family, Jake's dad might come, probably some family friends, my mom will be here" said Norman.

"I get to meet your mom?" said Victoria.

"I guess you do" said Norman.

"What's the theme for the party" said Victoria.

"It doesn't have a theme" said Norman. "Why would a barbeque have a theme?"

"To make it special" said Victoria. "We could make it a pirate theme or something."

"I'm not going to call people and ask them to dress up like pirates" said Norman.

"No one has to dress up, we could have the kids make treasure maps or go on treasure hunts, maybe get them some eye patches or pirate hats" said Victoria hopefully.

"If this is something you want to do then I'll do it" said Norman.

"Norman, it's your party. You should just tell me what you want me to do" said Victoria.

"Victoria, you're not my assistant. I don't want you to feel like you have to bend to my every whim" said Norman. Victoria was quiet for a few minutes, slowly processing what Norman had just said to her.

"Josh was right" she said quietly.

"Josh was right about what?" asked Norman.

"That working for a bunch of crabbers would be different" said Victoria. "It's going to take me a little while to get use to not being bossed around all the time."

"I can boss you around if you want" said Norman teasingly.

"And if I'm naughty will you punish me?" asked Victoria saucily.

"Most definitely" said Norman. "In fact I'm detecting a little naughtiness right now." Victoria squealed as Norman picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him and he carried her upstairs to the bedroom.

Norman laid her down on the bed and began to strip her out of her clothes. He started with her socks as he removed each one he pressed a kiss into the arch of her foot. Next he pulled down her pants revealing a pair of mint green panties. He pressed a kiss to her panty covered mound. The sweater was removed next revealing a bra that matched the panties.

"You look good enough to eat" said Norman. Victoria giggled a little as Norman licked his lips. Leaning forward Norman kissed Victoria soundly on the mouth, reaching behind her he unhooked her bra and slid it from her body. His hands quickly palmed her breasts lightly tugging at her nipples which caused her to moan. His lips quickly closed around one of the hardened buds and he sucked first lightly then increasing pressure until Victoria's back arched in response. He repeated the process with the other nipple before moving down to remove the last article of clothing. Victoria solicitously lifted her hips allowing Norman to pull her panties down her body. Throwing them behind him he trailed his hands up Victoria's inner thighs gently pressing her legs apart. The movement opens her to him allowing him to study each delicate curve of her exposed womanhood. Norman smiles wickedly at Victoria then moves down to place a chaste kisses on her inner thigh before placing one smack in the middle. Using his fingers to spread her open he places a delicate kiss on her clit which makes Victoria squirm slightly. Norman loves the taste of her, the feel of her warm heat drives him wild. He attacks her with vigor until Victoria is all but thrashing on the bed. Norman slides two fingers into her and feels her clench around the digits. She cries out her climax calling out Norman's name. He thinks his name has never sounded better. Victoria comes down from her peak and Norman removes his fingers from her body.

"It's your turn" said Victoria sitting up. She kissed Norman on the lips all but lapping her essence off his face before lifting the hem of his shirt over his head. Bending down she laved his nipples before blowing on them making them harden. Norman couldn't help but gasp at the sensation. Moving lower she slipped his jeans down his hips removing them and his socks she tossed them behind her. Norman was left in just his boxers. Victoria slipped her fingers under the waistband and slid the boxers down Norman's legs. She pushed his legs a little wider and climbed between them kneeling down with her face just inches from where Norman needed attention most. Victoria kissed the tip then enveloped the head with her mouth, Norman's head dropped back onto the bed with a deep moan. She moved slowly down swirling her tongue around him. Licking the underside she eventually takes him all the way into her mouth applying a little suction. Norman is hard pressed to name a more perfect blowjob. His hands grip the sheet as he feels her fondle his balls. He's close and is unsure if he wants the night to end so soon, but then Victoria does something unexpected. Moving her mouth all the way down she presses her tongue against the vein on the underside and massages it causing Norman's balls to tighten and him to flood her mouth. Swallowing it all Victoria sits back on her heels and gives Norman a radiant smile.

"You taste delicious" said Victoria with a smile.

"So do you" replied Norman slightly surprised by Victoria's compliment. It certainly wasn't one he'd heard before. Victoria climbed up the bed and snuggled in next to Norman who immediately leaned in to kiss her appreciating the mingling of their tastes.

Pulling the blanket over them Norman settled Victoria onto his chest. Her hands traced random patterns on his stomach before laying her hand across his waist. Hours later Norman awoke relishing in the fact that Victoria was still fast asleep on his chest. He rolled her off of him and started to softly caress her body. Victoria smiled in her sleep before slowly opening her eyes. Norman leaned down and sealed his mouth to hers, the kiss was full of passion. Victoria's hands moved down Norman's body eventually finding his hardened member. Rolling him onto his back Victoria climbed onto him and sunk down, sheathing him inside her causing both of them to moan. Victoria started moving up and down quickly finding a pace that was mutually satisfying. Norman's hands rested on her hips helping to guide her movements. He watched her breasts bounce up and down as she rode him. Norman's hips began to snap up to meet hers and Victoria realized that he must be close, she slipped her hand down and rubbed her clit. Norman watched her touch herself which only served to make him move faster. He managed to hold off long enough for Victoria to reach her peak before succumbing to his own needs. Victoria collapsed onto his chest once again listening to his racing heartbeat. Norman stroked her hair and back until he felt her breathing even out. He fell asleep shortly afterwards not bothering to move her off of him. Victoria eventually shifted off of him and laid curled at his side until she woke up in the morning. Getting up she dropped a kiss on Norman's cheek before using the bathroom.

The pull of Norman's whirlpool tub was too much for Victoria and she quickly filled the bath with water and climbed in. Norman heard the rush of water from his bathroom and smiled, the thought of Victoria naked in his bathtub was enough to propel him out of bed. Walking into the bathroom he saw her laying in the tub her head leaning back showing off the column of her neck. Norman quickly used the bathroom then slipped into the tub with her.

"Good Morning" said Victoria without opening her eyes.

"It's a great morning" said Norman. "By the way, I was thinking and I'd like to do the pirate theme."

"What made you change your mind?" asked Victoria.

"It will be cool for the kids" said Norman. "And I suppose your enthusiasm was a little contagious." Victoria sat up and looked at Norman critically for a second before breaking out into a big smile.

"I can't wait to go to the party store" said Victoria bouncing up and down. Norman smiled more because he could see her nipples every time bounced up than the idea of going to a party store.

"What time is this barbeque?" asked Victoria.

"Usually around 3 or 4" said Norman.

"Wow, we have a lot to do" said Victoria.

"I'm sure your lists will make it easy to get everything we need" said Norman with a smile.

"I'll have to make another list for the party store" said Victoria already making the list in her mind. "We should get started or we might run out of time." Victoria climbed out of the bath quickly drying herself off with a towel before looking expectantly at Norman.

"I just got into this tub, I'm at least going to enjoy the bubbles for a few minutes" said Norman.

"I'll get dressed and make the coffee" said Victoria skipping out of the room. Norman sighed and leaned his head back, if he hadn't volunteered for this party he and Victoria could have stayed in bed for the rest of the day having wild passionate sex. Instead he was going to spend the day introducing her to his family and friends. He decided that after this party they would just lock themselves up in the house and spend the rest of the month until she had to go back to work together. Finally getting out of the tub and getting dressed he walked downstairs to find Victoria.

Victoria was in the kitchen with a cup of coffee and her lists spread out in front of her. There was a small stack of toast on a plate in front of her. Reaching out she snagged a piece of toast and nibbled it while she read through one of her lists. Norman arrived and poured himself a cup of coffee before grabbing a piece of toast off of Victoria's plate.

"What are we suppose to be serving at this barbeque?" asked Victoria.

"Let me call Edgar and find out. Chances are he already has all the food" said Norman. He quickly picked up the phone and dialed Edgar's number.

"Norman, you're up and it's not even noon" teased Edgar.

"Hello to you too" said Norman. "Victoria wants to know what we are suppose to serve today."

"I have all the food, burgers and brats and stuff" explained Edgar. "All you need to supply is the grill we've got everything else covered."

"Great, I'll see you around 3" said Norman.

"I'll come a little early so I can help you set up" said Edgar.

"Ok. See ya" said Norman before hanging up the phone. Turning to Victoria he filled her in on what Edgar had said.

"Great, although I'd still like to stop at the grocery store. I want to make a few things" said Victoria.

"That's fine, are you ready to go?" asked Norman.

"Yep" said Victoria shoving a piece of toast into her mouth and washing it down with a gulp of coffee. She and Norman walked out to the garage and for a moment both wondered which car to take. "Can we take Gary?" asked Victoria. Norman just nodded before climbing into the passenger seat.

The pair spent most of the morning zipping through the streets picking up everything on Victoria's lists. Norman was shocked at how detailed the lists were and how quick a shopper Victoria was. He was sure they hadn't spent more than 5 minutes in any given store. The party store was the last stop and Norman watched as Victoria picked through the store like a jeweler selecting stones for a ring. She was quick and precise and she before long had everything she needed. The crowning find was a few globe chip bowls which she practically squealed with glee when she came across them. Norman volunteered to drive home and Victoria readily agreed. As Norman drove Victoria edited her lists, crossing off what had been done and adding a few more to do items. Arriving at home they duo quickly unloaded the car and unpacked the bags in the kitchen. Victoria set a list on the counter and started to create a treasure hunt list for the kids. Next she set up a craft station at the kitchen table making sure to cover it with a tablecloth first. Norman got started on the outside decorations, he set up the treasure chest behind a large group of trees on the property and hung the X. He couldn't help but laugh at the thought of the kids running around the yard following all of the clues. He hoped the "treasure" was enough for all of them. Walking into the house he realized that Victoria had already started decorating. His kitchen table looked like it belonged in a preschool, full of construction paper, glue sticks and stickers. Victoria was no where to be seen and suddenly Norman wondered what else she was decorating. He walked into the den and saw her bent over his dvd collection. Walking over to her he slid his hand over her upturned bottom before giving it a gentle pinch.

"Can I help you find something?" he asked solicitously.

"Nope, I found what I was looking for" said Victoria pulling out a small collection of pirate movies. Victoria set them on the top of the dvd player before walking back into the kitchen to consult the list. Victoria made fresh squeezed lemonade for the non drinkers and a special vodka mint lemonade for those who did drink. Next she whipped up some homemade salsa and guacamole allowing Norman to sample them for seasoning. With everything in place Norman and Victoria went upstairs to get ready.

Stepping into the shower Victoria quickly washed her hair and body, she was about to get out when Norman got into the shower stall with her. His hands caressed her body quickly turning her on. Setting her leg on the shower step Norman entered her from behind. Moving in and out of her he reached down to flick her clit, they didn't have much time and he wanted to make sure she came first. Feeling her body tighten in orgasm he finally let himself fall over the edge. Norman kissed her neck nipping at her hairline.

"Don't you dare give me a hickey before I meet your mother" said Victoria. Norman just laughed wondering what his mother would say. Cleaning themselves up they both dressed quickly. Norman left Victoria in the bathroom to finish getting ready while he went downstairs to await Edgar's arrival. Victoria took special care to dress nicely and make sure that her hair looked perfect. With just a hint of make up on her face she pronounced herself ready to face the masses.

Edgar arrived at Norman's house and backed his truck into the driveway. He hopped out and walked around to open the door for his wife. Louise climbed out of the car and quickly moved to get the kids out of the backseat. All three of Edgar Hansen's kids bounded out of the truck running towards the house to ring the doorbell. Norman heard the thunder of feet and was able to open the door the second the doorbell rang.

"Hi kids" he said giving his niece and nephews a big hug.

"Where's your girlfriend?" asked Nicholas.

"Who told you I had a girlfriend?" asked Norman.

"Mom and Dad spent the whole drive over here talking about it" explained Nicholas.

"Daddy says she's perfect for you" said Christina. Norman looked at the third child waiting for him to chime in his opinion but he just shrugged.

"Lets go help your dad" said Norman leading the troops back out towards the car. The kids and Norman helped Edgar unload the food and move it into the kitchen. Louise walked in carrying the kids extra entertainment items, but soon realized that they were unnecessary.

"Norman, did I miss that there was a theme for this party?" asked Louise looking at all the crafts on the kitchen table.

"No, it's for the kids. It was Victoria's idea and I thought it was a pretty good one" explained a Norman. Louise and Edgar shared a look.

"It's a really good idea" said Louise.

"Where is Elf?" asked Edgar.

"She's right here" said Victoria from the den. She'd taken the opportunity to put in a pirate movie for the kids.

"I knew you couldn't be far because your precious lists are right here on the counter" said Edgar. Victoria studiously ignored Edgar's comment and walked over to introduce herself to Louise.

"I'm Victoria" she said extending her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"It's nice to finally put a face with the name" said Louise with a smile.

"I hope you've only heard nice things" said Victoria.

"Just Edgar singing your praises" said Louise with a smile.

"Well it's nice that he glossed over all the throwing up and the whole almost dying thing" said Victoria.

"He didn't, but both of those things gave you major points because you didn't complain about either" said Louise.

"It must be a guy thing" said Victoria. "Like how every group of guys loves to show off their scars."

Louise just nodded through her laughter. Edgar walked over and shot Victoria a questioning look before walking outside.

"All this stuff for the kids is really nice. Were you a preschool teacher at one time?" asked Louise when she'd stopped laughing.

"Not per se but I have been an assistant to people with children who've looked upon me as a babysitter" said Victoria. "I've found it's more fun to play with the kids then try to control them."

"That is a life lesson" said Louise.

"Would you like something to drink? I've made some really tasty lemonade" said Victoria leading Louise into the kitchen. Victoria pulled out the two pitchers of lemonade which she'd labeled with as kid friendly and adults only. Louise smiled and pointed to the adults only pitcher. Victoria quickly filled a glass for Louise and one for herself before returning the pitcher to the fridge.

"Do you kids drink lemonade?" she asked.

"Yes, they love it" replied Louise. Victoria then pulled 3 pirate cups off of the counter along with a marker. She wrote each of the kids names on the cups then filled them with lemonade and added a swirl straw. She placed them on a small pirate tray along with some small gold coins and walked into the den towards the kids. She returned to the room a few minutes later smiling.

"They loved them" said Victoria. "And I managed to spell all their names correctly."

"You'll make a great mom some day" said Louise.

"Thank you" said Victoria taking a sip of her drink. "What should we do next?" Victoria and Louise worked together to get all the food prepped for the party, they chatted like old friends the entire time.

Norman and Edgar got the grill ready outside and watched Louise and Victoria through the kitchen window. Edgar wandered around the yard looking at all the clues that had been set up for the treasure hunt.

"You and Victoria really went all out for this thing, if you're not careful you are going to be hosting these from now on" said Edgar.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this will be a one time thing" said Norman.

"Why? Are you already going to break up with her?" asked Edgar suddenly.

"No. Why would you say that?" asked Norman.

"Because she clearly loves entertaining and I suppose if you stay together you will be doing a fair bit of it" said Edgar walking back to the window.

"I guess a few parties wouldn't be too bad as long as she's with me" said Norman.

"I think I should check your food for some sort of mind control pill" said Edgar.

"Shut up" said Norman.

"Oh my God! I know what it is. You're in love" said Edgar.

"It's too early to call it anything" said Norman walking away from Edgar.

"You may think it's to early to say it, but it's not to early to feel it" yelled Edgar at his retreating back. Norman turned around immediately and stalked back to where Edgar was standing. Edgar stepped back with his hands raised in surrender. Edgar was saved from certain death by Nick and Sig's arrival.

"Edgar, what did you do to him?" asked Sig walking in between them.

"Nothing" said Edgar.

"Norman do you want to explain why you were about to kill our little brother?" asked Sig.

"No" said Norman.

"Wow, it's like Christmas and I've turned into dad" said Sig. He walked into the house leaving Nick, Edgar and Norman in the backyard.

"Wow Norman, is this for the kids" said Nick looking around at all the little pirate decorations.

"Yeah, it was Victoria's idea" said Norman.

"Victoria's here?" asked Nick in surprise.

"Yes, she's inside" said Norman. "We're dating."

"Congratulations man, she's an awesome girl" said Nick clapping Norman on the back.

Inside the house the girls were all getting to know Victoria and enjoying her yummy vodka lemonade. The kids had moved out of the den and were making their own treasure maps at the kitchen table. Victoria would walk over to check on them and had even drawn some mustaches on the kids with an eyeliner pencil.

"Victoria, why do they call you elf?' asked Nick's wife Jessica.

"Because I'm good at buying gifts and Edgar thinks I could fit in a stocking" said Victoria.

"You probably could fit in a stocking" said Jessica with a smile.

"Maybe I'll try to do that for my Holiday card this year" said Victoria.

"Hey mom's here" said Sig walking through the sliding door. Louise and June quickly walked to the front door, and returned a moment later escorting a very smart dressed woman.

"Sver, this is Victoria" said June.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" said Victoria taking the ladies hand.

"So you are the one who almost died on the boat this season" said Sver.

"Yes, I'm the one" said Victoria.

"The boys speak very highly of you" she said. "I think my husband would have loved to meet you." That comment was met by a gasp from everyone in the room. Victoria blushed at the obvious compliment.

"Thank you very much, I'm sure I would have been honored to meet him" said Victoria.

"Where are the boys?" asked Sver.

"Right here mom" said Sig. All three boys gave their mom a hug and a kiss. Norman was the last and she pulled him down slightly and whispered something into his ear. His face went bright red and then he nodded. Matt and Jake arrived a few minutes later and the party moved into full swing. Victoria spent most of the afternoon meeting everyone. She tried very hard to employ every memory trick she knew to remember everyone's names.

After dinner Victoria and the kids went on their treasure hunt. They scampered around the backyard wearing the pirate hats and eye patches. Victoria paid careful attention to help Edgar's youngest son Andrew read all the clues first. The hunt took almost an hour and by the time the treasure chest was found all the kids were exhausted. Victoria carried Andrew back into the house and settled him on her lap in the living room. His head was lolling around and he eventually moved himself into a comfortable position and fell asleep. Norman watched her sit with his mother and sisters in law with his nephew on her lap asleep, she was the picture of domesticity.

"She's a keeper Norman" said Sig handing Norman another beer. "Do you know she made mom some tea a little while ago? Did you tell her how much mom likes fresh brewed tea?"

"No, I didn't tell her anything about what mom likes or dislikes" said Norman.

"I think she may be psychic" said Edgar.

"Possibly" said Norman.

"Did you show Sig the globe yet?" asked Edgar.

"Nope, now's as good a time as any" said Norman leading the way towards the library. Victoria noticed the direction he was walking and smiled.

"What are you smiling about Victoria?" asked June.

"Norman is showing Sig the gift I got him. You should go see it." said Victoria. The ladies all got up and walked into the library. Victoria stayed in her spot stroking Andrew's hair softly. Alexis came in to sit down next to her.

"Great party Victoria" she said with a smile.

"Thank you, I'm glad you're having fun" said Victoria.

"The scavenger hunt was brilliant, I don't think I've ever had so much fun at a family barbeque" said Alexis.

"Maybe this party will set a precedent" said Victoria.

"I really like your outfit" said Alexis. "I have prom coming up and I was wondering if you'd come with me to pick out a dress?"

"Don't you think your mom wants to go with you" said Victoria.

"She's going with me, but I wanted to invite you too" said Alexis.

"I'd be honored" said Victoria.

"Cool, I'm going to tell mom. Where is she?" asked Alexis.

"In the library" said Victoria. Christina and Nicholas walked into the room and both curled up next to Victoria on the couch.

"When are you going to marry Uncle Norman?" asked Christina.

"Well he hasn't asked me yet and we are still getting to know each other. I think proposal's are still a little far off" said Victoria diplomatically.

"But this was the best party ever" said Nicholas.

"I don't have to marry anyone to throw a great party" said Victoria with a chuckle.

"Would you help my mom throw my birthday party?" asked Christina.

"When is your birthday?" asked Victoria.

"It's in a month" said Christina.

"I can help her plan it and I'll try my best to be there" said Victoria. Edgar walked out of the library and saw that all his kids were sitting on or next to Victoria. They were happily discussing Christina's birthday when he sat down in the chair next the couch.

"What's going on over here?" asked Edgar.

"Victoria is going to help mommy throw my birthday party" said Christina.

"I think mom already has something planned" said Edgar. He saw his daughter's face crumple in disappointment.

"I'll ask her if I can add some special touches" said Victoria. Christina's eyes brightened and Edgar let out a breath at the averted crisis. The party began to wind down and Victoria transferred Andrew onto the couch covering him with a blanket so she could say goodbye to the guests.

Sver sat with Norman, Sig and Edgar outside, from her vantage point she had a clear view of Victoria in the kitchen. She was very please by the girl and hoped that Norman would hurry and ask her to marry him. She was just the kind of girl this family needed. Her musings were interrupted by Edgar asking her a question about the boat.

"Edgar, I didn't come here to talk about the boat. Unless you are planning Norman's wedding on the boat, I'm not interested" said Sver.

"I didn't know Norman was getting married" said Edgar.

"He should be if he knows what's good for him" said Sver. Norman said nothing, he knew this was bound to happen. As the last unmarried brother he was constantly being set up with women by every female in his family. Victoria was different, she wasn't anyone's friend from work or girl they met at a PTA meeting, he'd met her on his own. She didn't know anyone in his family except his brothers and they'd all met at the same time. He wasn't her second or third choice. Victoria appeared at the door with some bottles of water.

"Would anyone like some water?" she asked quietly.

"Sit down my dear" said Sver. Victoria obediently sat down next to her and opened a water taking a small sip.

"Victoria, did you get our wives nice and drunk or what?" asked Edgar.

"I don't think any of them are drunk" said Victoria.

"Are you sure, we should probably all just stay here tonight. We can have a huge slumber party" suggested Edgar with a wicked grin.

"I'm sure the kids would love it" said Victoria. "Two of your kids are already asleep on the living room couch and Nicholas just beat me at some snowboarding game on the X-box."

"Perhaps you and Norman would consider babysitting for us sometime so Louise and I can go out" said Edgar.

"I'd love to, maybe I can teach Nicholas how to drive" said Victoria.

"Never mind" said Edgar quickly. Sig and Norman both laughed at the thought of Victoria teaching anyone to drive. Sver stood suddenly and pulled Victoria up with her.

"Good night boys" said Sver. Her sons quickly stood and gave her hugs and kisses. She walked through the house saying goodnight Louise and June then gave the sleeping children soft kisses. At the door she stopped and faced Victoria.

"It was lovely to meet you. I wish you and Norman all the best. If he treats you poorly call me and I will straighten him out" said Sver.

"Thank you for coming, I feel honored to meet you" said Victoria giving the women a gentle hug. Sig appeared behind Victoria and walked his mother to her car.

Later that night Victoria helped Edgar carry Andrew to the car and buckled him into the booster seat. She placed his goody bag in his lap and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Christina was fast asleep and Edgar struggled to get her into the car. Nicholas walked out under his own power giving Victoria a soft hug before getting into the car.

"Thanks for an awesome party" said Edgar giving Victoria a hug and kiss.

"Victoria, I'll call you soon about Christina's birthday" said Louise giving her a hug.

"Drive safely" said Victoria. "It was nice to meet you Louise."

Norman walked Victoria back into the empty house. It was blissfully quiet. Norman gathered Victoria into his arms and kissed her softly.

"I think my family likes you" he said between kisses.

"I'm glad I've made a good impression" said Victoria.

"When do I get to meet your parents?" asked Norman.

"You can't really" said Victoria.

"Why not? Don't you think I'd make a good impression?" asked Norman, slightly hurt by the rejection.

"It's not that. I'm sure they would have loved to meet you. They died when I was 12" said Victoria.

"Victoria I'm so sorry" said Norman pulling her into a comforting hug.

"It was a long time ago and I've had a lot of time to grieve" said Victoria.

"So who took care of you after they died?" asked Norman.

"I had a guardian, he sent me to boarding school, culinary school, any school he thought I could possibly need" said Victoria. "He died when I was 20, but by that time I was already an assistant. He took good care of me providing me with everything I could ever need, but he didn't love me." Norman was quiet, he realized how Victoria knew how to make a perfect cup of tea, why she was able to cook so well and why she probably made such a good assistant. She'd been professionally trained.

"I'm sorry you don't have anyone to meet" said Victoria sadly.

"Victoria" said Norman dropping gentle kisses on her cheeks. "It just means I don't have anyone to disappoint."

"Norman, you would never disappoint anyone I introduce you to" said Victoria capturing his lips in a searing kiss. Soon Victoria was laying on the couch with Norman on top of her.

"We should go to bed" said Norman.

"You are going to have to get off of me first" said Victoria. Norman stood and pulled Victoria to her feet before leading her up to the bedroom.

The walked into the room and noticed that there were flowers petals scattered all of the bed. A bottle of champagne and two glasses were sitting on a tray on the dresser.

"Did you do this?" asked Victoria.

"I would love to take credit but I didn't" said Norman. Victoria walked over to her suitcase and rooted around until she found what she was looking for. She walked into the bathroom closing the door. Once inside she slipped on the negligee she'd brought, hoping that Norman liked it. Emerging from the bathroom she found Norman holding two filled champagne glasses.

"You look beautiful" he said handing her a glass.

"Thank you. You are over dressed" said Victoria with a smile. It took only a minute for Norman to undress and climb into bed next to Victoria. The rest of the night is spent pleasuring each other and drinking champagne. Norman and Victoria finally fell into a sated sleep only to be woken up by the sound of Edgar's voice yelling from downstairs.

"Hey lovebirds, I hope your decent because I'm coming up" said Edgar. Victoria just laid back down covering her head with a pillow and tucking the blanket around her body. Norman on the other hand jumped up and managed to slip on a pair of boxers before Edgar bursts through the door. He jumps on the bed and uncovers Victoria's head.

"Morning Elf" said Edgar with a smile.

"Why are you here" asked Victoria.

"Louise wanted me to invite you to brunch" explained Edgar.

"Why didn't you call?" asked Victoria into the mattress.

"Because I figured you wouldn't answer" said Edgar. Norman had managed to get completely dressed during the conversation and was anxious to get Edgar out of the room.

"Lets go get some coffee so Victoria can get dressed" said Norman.

"What is she wearing now?" asked Edgar tugging at the blanket.

"Edgar if you ever want to be able have sex with your wife again I suggest you go get some coffee" said Victoria turning her head to face him. As she turned Edgar could see a rather purple love bite on her neck.

"Norman, aren't you a little old to giving hickies" said Edgar. Victoria shot straight up in bed barely managing to hold the blanket against her chest.

"What?" she said touching her neck. Edgar solicitously placed her hand over the spot. "Norman if I can't cover this up, I'm giving you one on your forehead."

"I think I'm ready for coffee now" said Edgar quickly walking out the door with Norman following in his wake. Victoria got up and moved into the bathroom to inspect this love bite. It wasn't very large and lucky for Norman she was able to cover it with a high collared sweater.

Brunch was a subdued affair at a very nice Seattle restaurant, just the family was in attendance. Victoria sat next to Sver who sat at the head of the table. She looked like she was holding court over the whole family. After brunch Edgar's kids convinced Victoria to go with them to the park across the street. Edgar and Norman watched as Victoria swung on the swings with Andrew and Christina then played hide and seek with everyone including Alexis and Nicholas. The afternoon quickly faded and Norman and Victoria returned to his house for some peace and quiet. The rest of the evening was spent reading in Norman's library.

The month passed quickly and before she knew it Victoria realized that she only had one more week before she was going to have to start the promotional tour. One night after dinner she pulled out her laptop and reviewed her schedule. Phil and the boys were her first trip, although they were hosting a coffee release party in Seattle so that shouldn't be too hard for her to manage. The next trip was to Helly Hansen which would be slightly longer, but Norman would be going with her. The rest of the promotional tour included various trips and of course CatchCon. The final activity was the Harris' interviewing for a new greenhorn in Vegas in August. She printed out a copy of her travel schedule for Norman who stuck it to his fridge. He smiled at the fact that he'd always know where she was and who she was with, but he wished she could just stay here with him. Over the course of the past month they'd fallen into playing house and neither was really keen to leave the cozy set up. Victoria had a job to do and even though it was only a few months of work it would take her away from Norman. The last few days before Victoria left were spent along with Norman in the house. Norman watched her drive back to Seattle 2 days before the coffee event, he stayed outside until the car was no longer visible. As he walked back inside the house suddenly felt big and empty, he already missed her and she'd only been gone a minute. Maybe Edgar was right and he was in love.

**Please read and review. Thank you for the reviews I appreciate all the comments I've received.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I'm trying out writing on my MAC so I can continue to update when I go on vacation. I hope everything transfers OK. Thanks for all the reviews and adds, I'm glad everyone likes the story. Please continue to read and review.

Victoria arrived at a hotel in Seattle and quickly checked in. Her room was nice with a huge bathroom, but it wasn't as nice as Norman's. Deciding what she needed to do first was call Phil to check in she pulled out her phone and dialed.

"Hi Phil, it's Victoria."

"Vicks, I was hoping you'd be in town a few days early. Do you want to come over" said Phil.

"Ok, give me your address" said Victoria.

"I'll come pick you up so you don't have to waste money on a cab" said Phil.

"You don't have to, I brought my car with me, I can just plug your address into the GPS and I'll be there in no time" said Victoria.

"Ah, the car. Josh and Jake told me all about it" said Phil. He gave Victoria his address as well as a few extra directions just in case the GPS didn't give her landmarks. Victoria hung up and took a minute to program the address and directions into her phone. She decided to change clothes before grabbing her jacket she heading out the door to Phil's house.

The drive was pleasant no traffic to speak of and a beautiful view of the city lights as she wove her way up to Phil's house. She pulled into his driveway and admired the cabin, Jake and Josh had told her that he was still moving in but the house looked completely put together from the outside. Walking up to the front door she knocked gingerly and immediately heard the sound of a dog barking from the other side.

"Gizmo, get away from the door" said Phil's voice slightly muffled by the heavy door. Victoria took a small step back as the door opened and the tiny dog lunged for her. She deftly caught it bringing it up to her face so it could lick her before setting the dog back on the ground.

"Nice catch" said Phil.

"Thanks" said Victoria with a small smile. Phil led her into the house with Gizmo bouncing around his feet.

"How many times have you tripped over her?" asked Victoria.

"A few" said Phil. Victoria followed Phil into a living room and she took a seat on the leather sofa.

"Do you want something to drink?" asked Phil.

"Sure" said Victoria. Gizmo jumped into her lap and she lovingly stroked the dogs head. Phil returned and handed her a beer slipping into the seat next to her. Gizmo seemed to be torn between staying in Victoria's lap and moving to Phil's.

"She likes you" said Phil scratching Gizmo behind her ear.

"She's a very sweet dog" said Victoria.

"I'm so glad you are here, you are the first person other than my kids to see the new house" said Phil. "Do you want a tour?"

"Yes" said Victoria dislodging Gizmo as she stood up. "Sorry Gizmo."

"She's fine" said Phil. Walking through each of the rooms Phil explained his plans for the room and pointed out all the reasons he was drawn to the house in the first place. The last stop was the kitchen where Phil got himself and offered Victoria another beer, which she declined.

"The boys couldn't stop talking about their trip to LA" said Phil.

"Yeah, I think they enjoyed themselves. It was actually nice to have them there, the whole place seemed less lonely" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"I would have been there in a heartbeat if I was invited" said Phil with a pout.

"I didn't think you liked cars? I was under the impression that you preferred bikes" said Victoria.

"I like anything that's fast" said Phil.

"I"ll remember that next time I buy something fast" said Victoria.

"When can I see it?" asked Phil.

"We can go take a ride right now" said Victoria.

Phil stood outside looking at Victoria's bright blue mini cooper. They boys had told him that it was the perfect car for Victoria and now that he saw it in person he had to agree with them. It was cute, fashionable and according to the boys fast.

"Lets take it for a spin" said Victoria with a devilish grin. Phil climbed into the passenger seat and watched as Victoria looked up the nearest ice cream parlor on the GPS. Once the destination was locked into place Victoria smiled.

"Hold on" she said as she peeled out of the driveway and sped down the street. Phil had heard about her driving from Jake and Josh however actually experiencing it was a completely different story. Bracing his hands on the door handle when she made each turn he desperately tried not to look like he was scared. Coming to a stop at the ice cream store Victoria opened the door and hopped out. Phil emerged from the car looking more than a little shaken.

"Ice cream is on me" said Victoria.

"It's going to be all over you if you drive that way on the way home" said Phil.

"What way?" asked Victoria.

"Like a maniac" said Phil. Victoria's face sobered and she frowned. Suddenly Phil realized that no one had ever told her she was a bad driver.

"I'm not a bad driver, I've never been in an accident, never even gotten a speeding ticket" said Victoria.

"Seriously?" asked Phil astonished.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"How long have you been driving?" asked Phil.

"Long enough" said Victoria. Phil could tell he wasn't going to do anything but hurt Victoria's feelings if he kept pressing the issue. Walking into the ice cream parlor she quickly walked over to the counter like a 5 year old and sampled quite a few flavors until she decided on mocha. Phil watched, her loving her youthful enthusiasm. She sat down at one of the little tables and nibbled her ice cream while Phil ate his ice cream out of a cup.

"I can't believe that you think I'm a bad driver" said Victoria. Phil didn't answer her right away he was completely entranced by her licking the ice cream off the side of her cone.

"Well?" said Victoria.

"It was probably the single scariest trip I've ever had on land" confessed Phil.

"Well it's nice to know that I'm not as scary as the bering sea" said Victoria.

"Barely" muttered Phil. Victoria shot him a dirty look then ate the rest of her ice cream cone.

"Ready to go?" asked Victoria.

"Not really, but I suppose that I will never be ready" said Phil.

"Phil, why don't you dust the sand out of your vagina and come on" said Victoria. She'd said it loud enough that everyone else in the shop heard her. Phil realized that he would never be able to come get ice cream here again, not that he'd ever been her before but still. He caught up to her when she'd just about reached the car.

"Listen little girl, you are messing with the wrong person" said Phil pressing her into the car. Victoria just smiled.

"You don't scare me" she said trying to wiggle away from him.

"I will, you just wait and see" said Phil with a wicked glimmer. Victoria started to wonder what she was getting herself into, something told her that Norman would not appreciate the situation she was currently in.

"You win. If you want you can drive back to your house" said Victoria dangling the keys in front of Phil. He grabbed them and walked over to the driver side. Getting in he quickly adjusted the seat and all the mirrors before shifting the car into gear and tearing out of the parking lot. Victoria smiled at his obvious attempt to scare her, but he'd have a rough time of it. She'd been in enough celebrity cars to know that she wasn't in any real danger.

Pulling up at Phil's house he parked the car and turned to look at Victoria's face, which was as impassive as ever. Victoria gave him a quiet smile and got out of the car. She noticed that there was a new car in the driveway and she wondered who it belonged to.

"Who's car?" she asked.

"It's ding's" said Phil.

"How cute that your kids have keys to your house" said Victoria. Phil gave her a look then walked quickly to the door. Victoria trailed behind him trying not to laugh at his temper tantrum. Phil opened the door slowly and was surprised to hear the sound of feminine giggling coming from inside. Victoria walked up behind him and he quickly grabbed her putting his hand over her mouth. She started to struggle until the tinkling sound of laughter reached her ears. Phil looked at her and Victoria nodded understanding his need for silence. Phil led her back outside and around the house to the back door. He quietly opened it, taking Victoria's hand they entered the laundry room. The door was already cracked and they could make out the light from the living room. The kitchen was dark and Phil slid past the laundry room door into the back corner of the kitchen. Victoria took a minute to take off her shoes before tip toeing behind Phil. Coming around the corner they were able to see Josh on the couch talking to a girl. Victoria gave Phil an expectant look silently asking if he knew the identity of the girl. Phil shook his head at her silent query. Victoria crouched down in front of Phil to get a better look, Phil couldn't help but look at the way her pants gapped in the back and he could see her ass crack. Victoria watched Josh chatting with the girl and realized that his body language was weird. Josh seemed to be trying to put as much room as he could between himself and the girl. The girl seemed to be slowly advancing like a tiger stalking her prey. Sitting back on her heels Victoria looked up into Phil's face, from the angle her neck looked impossibly long and her back was arched to show off a nice bit of cleavage. Phil looked down and saw that Victoria's mouth was moving but he couldn't hear a word she was saying. Finally he just pulled her up by her shoulders to a standing position.

"I think he doesn't really want to be alone with her anymore" whispered Victoria.

"Really?" asked Phil. He took another minute to look at the duo on the couch and suddenly realized exactly what Victoria meant. Phil nodded and Victoria pulled him back towards the laundry room. Once inside she closed the door then opened and slammed the back door. She and Phil made a ridiculous amount of noise before entering the kitchen. By the time they got to the living room Josh and the girl were on opposite sides of the couch, Josh was wearing a relieved smile while the girl was pouting.

"Joshua, what are you doing here?" asked Phil.

"Um, I stopped by because a fan wanted to meet you" said Josh.

"I'm Melissa" said the girl standing up to give Phil a hug.

"Hi Melissa" said Phil patting the girl on the back while giving Josh a questioning look.

"Vicks" said Josh jumping up to give Victoria a hug and kiss on the cheek. "What's up?"

"Nothing, just stopped by to take your dad for ice cream" said Victoria with a smile.

"Dad, what do you think of Victoria's driving?" asked Josh.

"I think that I may never forgive you for not warning me properly" said Phil.

"God, you guys are ridiculous" said Victoria. Melissa cleared her throat suddenly and everyone in the room looked at her just noticing her again.

"I'm Victoria" said Victoria extending her hand to Melissa. Melissa took it and gave it a weak shake all the while glaring daggers.

"Are you Phil's girlfriend?" asked Melissa with a horribly disguised sneer.

"Nope, I'm the Deadliest Catch assistant" said Victoria. Melissa's eyes suddenly brightened and her posture towards Victoria changed dramatically.

"Wow, what a cool job. I had no idea that they hired assistants" said Melissa. Victoria just smiled.

"Well Victoria lets leave Josh and his new friend to get better acquainted and we can go over the tour schedule" said Phil.

"Ok" said Victoria shooting an apologetic look at Josh. Victoria followed Phil upstairs into what she presumed was his bedroom. Phil sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to him. Victoria climbed into bed and pulled her phone out of her purse.

"Has anything changed with the schedule or did you just want to get away from your fan?" asked Victoria.

"I just want to spend some quiet time with you" said Phil laying back against the pillows. Victoria smiled at him and looked at her phone. She'd missed quite a few calls from Norman but she didn't feel like she could call him back in front of Phil. Victoria and Phil chatted until Victoria nodded off in the middle of one of Phil's stories. He quietly watched her sleep until she was awoken when a very upset looking Josh appeared at the door.

"Victoria, will you please take this girl back to the bar" said Josh his voice strained.

"Joshie, where did you go?" called Melissa from downstairs.

"Sure" said Victoria. She picked up her bag and made her way downstairs, intercepting Melissa on the landing.

"Have you seen Josh?" she asked trying to move around Victoria.

"A bout of explosive diarrhea" said Victoria. "He asked me to take you back to your car."

"Oh" was all Melissa could say. Victoria pulled her down the stairs and quickly retrieved her shoes from the laundry room.

"Besides, I thought I'd talk to you about some other assistant positions" said Victoria quickly catching Melissa before she started up the stairs again.

"Oh cool" said Melissa walking towards the front door.

"Do you have everything?" asked Victoria hoping to avoid the clever leave behind trick.

"Yes" said Melissa showing Victoria her purse. The girls walked out to Victoria's car and got in.

In the car Melissa fastened her seat belt and turned slightly in her seat to look back at the house. Victoria had no doubt she was trying to remember the number and memorize the outside of the house so she could come back.

"So Melissa, where exactly are we going?" asked Victoria. Melissa gave her the name of the bar and Victoria plugged it into the GPS. Before Melissa could take a proper breath they were flying down the tiny roads around Phil's house. Victoria kept up a steady stream of dialog as they drove, feeding Melissa as much bullshit as she could think of. Melissa occasionally nodded her head but her eyes never left the road. When they pulled up at the bar Victoria watched as Melissa got out of the car on shaky legs and say thank you. Victoria just waved and peeled out of the parking lot. She stopped about a block down to program the hotel into the GPS so she could find her way home.

Pulling the car into the hotel and handing the keys to the valet she quietly rode the elevator up to her floor. Placing the key card in the lock she opened the door and walked into the room. She let out a small scream as she saw Norman sitting on the hotel bed.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"I was out with Phil" said Victoria. "How did you get in here?"

"Edgar's not the only one with charm" said Norman his voice bitter. "Where was your phone?"

"In my bag. I saw that you called but I didn't want to call you back in front of Phil" explained Victoria.

"What were you doing with him?" asked Norman.

"We were just hanging out, talking about the appearance, we went for ice cream" said Victoria. Norman looked anything but convinced.

"There is no ice cream place open this late" said Norman

"Well we went back to his house after ice cream, Josh had a girl over there and we went upstairs to give him some privacy. I fell asleep for a little while, then I drove Josh's girl back to her car" explained Victoria.

"You fell asleep where?" asked Norman barely containing his fury.

"On his bed" said Victoria. "Listen, I don't like where this is all going. I don't have to explain anything to you. Phil is one of the people I work for and in the course of my duties I'm going to have to see him. If you are jealous of the time I spend with him it's completely misplaced."

"You work for him just like you work for me?" asked Norman his voice dripping with venom.

"What?" said Victoria.

"Are you fucking him?" asked Norman suddenly.

"Get out" said Victoria.

"You are, because if you weren't you'd be defending yourself" said Norman.

"Get out, now!" yelled Victoria.

"You are no better than those adoring fan girls, you are just a slut" said Norman angrily. Victoria watched as Norman walked out of the room, she was completely crushed by the things he'd said her. She didn't know where it had come from or why he'd said the hurtful things he had. Laying down on the bed she cried herself to sleep. The light streaming through the curtains announced the morning and woke Victoria. She moaned but dragged herself out of the bed anyway. In the bathroom she looked at her tear stained face and the purple circles under her puffy eyes.

"I suppose this is why assistants don't have boyfriends" she muttered to herself. She ordered herself some breakfast before pulling out her laptop. At 2 pm she left the hotel and headed over to Phil's to get him prepped for the appearance. As she pulled into the driveway she put on her happy face and walked to the door.

The appearance went off without a hitch, if Phil noticed that anything was amiss with Victoria he and the boys stayed blissfully silent. She made excuses why she couldn't go out afterwards and quietly made her way back to the hotel. She'd stopped off by a grocery store and picked up a pint of Ben and Jerry's which she consumed in a huge bubble bath. The days flew by until she was faced with the Helly Hansen appearance. She called Sig and was surprised and relieved that Norman had bowed out of the appearance. Sig and Edgar peppered her with questions the entire flight to Newport. Victoria stayed stoically silent the entire flight refusing to answer any Norman related questions. As Sig and Edgar disembarked the plane Edgar leaned over to Sig.

"Now I know how the film guys feel trying to talk to Norman" he whispered. Sig just chuckled causing Victoria to glare at him.

"Don't get me in trouble" said Sig. Later that evening Sig and Edgar both knocked on Victoria's hotel room door. She opened it wearing a pair of lavender Northwestern sweats, a tank top and a murderous expression.

"What do you want?" asked Victoria.

"Just to talk to you" said Edgar pushing past her and walking into the room. She moved aside so Sig could walk in without pushing her.

"Well talk" said Victoria leaning on the wall.

"What's up with you and Norman" asked Sig.

"We broke up" said Victoria simply.

"Why?" asked Edgar.

"Because he called me a slut" said Victoria.

"He what? Why would he say that to you?" asked Sig.

"You will have to ask him because I have no idea" said Victoria. "Now if you are finished pouring salt in my wounds, I'd like to go to sleep." Edgar and Sig left without a word, Norman had been completely closed on the subject of Victoria and they had no idea what had happened. Now with Victoria's side of the story they desperately needed to talk some sense into Norman. Victoria closed the door wishing this whole stupid assistant job was over already.

The next week she was in Orlando with Sig and Edgar's families. Once again Norman had decided not to attend the event. Victoria at least had fun on this trip, she and Andrew rode all the rides together. She even skipped the few he wasn't tall enough to go on as a sign of solidarity. Edgar watched her with his youngest son and realized that Norman had no idea what kind of girl he was giving up. Late one night Victoria was sitting down on a bench holding a sleeping Andrew and watching the firework show at Epcot when Louise sat down next to her.

"Victoria, do you want me to take him?" she asked.

"No, he's keeping me warm" said Victoria snuggling Andrew a little.

"He really likes you. You are the first person he asks for when he wakes up" said Louise.

"It's nice to know someone asks for me" muttered Victoria.

"I'm sure if you can wait long enough Andrew would ask you to marry him" said Louise with a smile.

"He deserves better than an assistant" said Victoria looking down into Andrew's sleeping face.

"Don't sell yourself short. You are a great catch, but fisherman are notoriously stupid" said Louise. "I know I married one." Victoria just nodded and moved her hand to wipe away her tears.

"Thanks" she said quietly.

"How about a churro? Fried food always cheers me up" suggested Louise.

"Sounds perfect" said Victoria.

The rest of the week didn't seem so bad, Victoria enjoyed her time at the theme parks and Andrew never once called her a mean name or hurt her feelings. She considered waiting for him to grow up so she could marry him. On the flight home to Seattle Edgar and Sig slid into the seats on either side of her.

"Did you have a good time?" asked Sig.

"Yes, it was really fun" said Victoria.

"Are you going to see Norman when we get back?" asked Edgar.

"No. I'm going to Homer to see Jonathon and Andy. They have their promotional stuff coming up" said Victoria. "Besides, I don't really feel ready to see him."

"Do you mind if we talk to him?" asked Sig.

"He's your brother I would hope that you would talk to him" said Victoria.

"I meant about what he said to you" said Sig.

"I don't care what you say to him" said Victoria. Andrew came over and crawled into Victoria's lap effectively ending the conversation.

Victoria was up and back from Alaska by the end of the week. Jonathon and Andy had been unrelenting about her change in attitude and harassed her until she told them the whole story. They had both been sympathetic to her side however they did point out how the situation could have been misread. Victoria conceded their point, but still didn't feel ready to speak to Norman. There had been no attempts by Norman to contact her, which seemed to signal that the relationship was probably over. Jonathon and Andy flew with her back to Seattle and were gearing up for CatchCon which was scheduled for the coming weekend. All the captains and crews were attending and subsequently doing a lot of radio and television promotion for the convention. Victoria was ridiculously busy sometimes driving between 3 appearances in one day. The rigorous schedule kept her mind off of her personal life and completely focused on keeping everyone on track. Sig and Edgar had been anxious to reunite the couple but each of their attempts to set up a reconciliation was thwarted by either Norman or Victoria finding an excuse not to attend the event.

The day of CatchCon had arrived and Victoria sat in her room physically sick at the thought of going. She hadn't slept the night before and had been throwing up all morning. There was a knock at the door and she stumbled to answer it. Opening the door she was faced by a very chipper looking Thom Beers.

"Victoria, you look terrible" he said.

"I feel terrible" replied Victoria.

"What's wrong? Do you have the flu or something?" asked Thom.

"I don't know what's wrong, it could be the flu or something I ate" said Victoria.

"I think you should stay home today" said Thom moving Victoria to the bed.

"This is a really important event for all the guys, I should really be there" protested Victoria.

"There are plenty of Discovery Channel staffers to take care of them. You take care of yourself, you still have some traveling to do before this tour is over" said Thom.

"Fine. Please tell them I'm sorry" said Victoria closing her eyes.

"I will" said Thom quietly before showing himself out.

Meanwhile Edgar and Sig were sitting in Norman's living room hearing all the reason's he had not to attend the convention. Sig and Edgar had humored him for the past 20 minutes nodding sagely at his ridiculous excuses. Finally Edgar looked at his watch and elbowed Sig in the ribs.

"Listen Norman, it doesn't really matter. You are going and that's final, we made a promise to the fans that you will be at this event and that means you're going even if we have to duct tape you and drag you out of here" said Sig standing up. Norman reluctantly rose and went upstairs to change into a Northwestern shirt.

"That was easier than I thought it would be" said Edgar tossing the duct tape on the table.

"He isn't there yet" said Sig. Norman, Sig and Edgar piled into the car and made their way to the event site. All three were shocked at the news that Victoria was sick and wasn't going to make it. Edgar and Sig looked disappointed while Norman appeared relieved. The convention was great, the guys had a great opportunity to meet their fans, see some fan art and of course sign lots and lots of autographs. In the question and answer period Norman was asked if he was dating anyone and with only a slight pause he said No. All the captains and crew went to a celebratory dinner after the convention hosted and attended by the Discovery Channel. The big topic of conversation was Victoria's absence.

"I can't believe she didn't make it, she must be really sick" said Josh.

"We should check on her, she has some big assisting coming up for us" said Jake with a smirk.

"She probably made herself sick driving herself around. The girl is a crazy behind the wheel" said Phil. The conversation quickly shifted to Victoria's driving, each person telling their story of a near death experience in the passenger seat of her car.

Later that night Edgar was driving Sig and Norman to their respective houses. The car ride had been mostly filled with talk of the boat, specifically the fact that Norman and Edgar would be leaving in a few weeks for salmon tendering. Norman didn't contribute anything to the conversation, his thoughts were on Victoria in general and her current state of health specifically. He wondered if she was really sick or just faking something to get out of seeing him at the event. He was suddenly very curious to find out what her illness really was. He imagined her sitting in her hotel room scared to see him, lying to the Discovery people that she was sick but really she was just scared. Edgar asked him a question and when he didn't answer Sig turned around in his seat to stare at him.

"What?" said Norman defensively.

"I was just asking you about Victoria" said Edgar.

"I bet she's just faking being sick" said Norman.

"You think so?" asked Edgar looking at Norman in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, I bet she was too chicken shit to even show her face today" said Norman.

"Well, I hate to burst your bubble but Thom Beers was the one who told her to stay in her room, he said she looked terrible" said Sig. Norman instantly regretted his earlier statement, he was clearly completely off the mark in his assessment of Victoria's condition.

"What's the deal with you being so angry with her" said Edgar.

"She was sleeping in Phil's bed" said Norman his voice rising. "I asked her specifically if she was fucking him and she just told me to get out, she didn't even say no."

"She was probably shocked by the question" said Sig.

"I doubt it, she doesn't really seem like the easily shocked kind of girl" said Norman.

"Well when you accuse someone of sleeping with someone it tends to surprise" said Edgar. Norman punched the back of Edgar's seat in disgust. "I'm just saying." said Edgar in response.

"Listen it's for the best, she just isn't right for me" said Norman. "I don't want to talk about it anymore, the subject is closed." The rest of the drive was filled with silence, Norman got out at his house and waved goodbye to his brothers.

Victoria heard a knock at the door and glanced at the clock before dragging herself out of bed. It was after 11 and she wondered who one earth would be visiting her at this time of night. She opened the door and was immediately swept up in a big hug. Jonathon, Andy, Josh, Jake and Phil all walked into her room.

"You're looking better Victoria. But we brought you some medicine anyway" said Jonathon brandishing a bottle of Crown Royal. Josh and Jake quickly scrounged up some glasses and soon everyone was toasting to Victoria's health. As wary as she was to drink the moment the fiery liquid slipped down her throat she started to feel better. The alcohol soothing away her pain and leaving her comfortably numb. Everyone made sure her glass never went empty and when the first bottle ran out she quickly ordered another one from room service. Jonathon and Jake were playing on Victoria's computer answering her emails and rearranging her desktop icons while Phil, Andy, Josh and Victoria surfed the channels on TV. Victoria stopped at a rerun of Project Runway and the guys all looked at her expectantly. When it became clear that she wasn't going to change the channel Phil reached over and tried to take the remote from her hand.

"Don't even think about it" said Victoria clutching the remote tighter and pushing Phil away with her free hand. Andy tried next and was quickly rebuffed. Deciding that the guys weren't giving up Victoria stuffed the remote down the front of her sweats. Josh looked at her his expression clearly saying that action wasn't going to stop him before reaching down her pants. Victoria shut her legs hard trapping Josh's hand in between her legs.

"Joshua, get your hands out of her pants" said Phil.

"I have the remote" said Josh trying to pull his hand out from between Victoria's thighs.

"Well pull it out then" said Andy.

"I cant she's got my arm trapped" said Josh. Phil and Andy watched as Josh tried vainly to pull his hand out of Victoria's grasp.

"If you drop the remote I'll let go" said Victoria calmly.

"Never" said Josh.

"Fine, have it your way" said Victoria turning over on her side taking Josh's arm with her. He fell over her feeling his arm bend strangely. He felt that if she moved farther he would definitely be in pain and could face serious damage.

"Don't give up Josh" said Jake.

"Yeah man, stay strong" said Jonathon. Both Jake and Jon had climbed onto the bed to watch the action. Victoria moved farther and Josh felt a twinge as his shoulder was bent at an odd angle. Josh finally let go of the remote to prevent any permanent damage and Victoria true to her word released her arm. As Josh pulled his arm out of her sweats a cheer went up from all the guys only to be crushed by the lack of remote in his hand.

"What the hell dude, she couldn't have been squeezing you that hard" said Jake.

"You try it and see if you do any better" said Josh.

"Ok" said Jake pushing Josh out of his spot and placing his hand near the waistband of Victoria's sweats.

"Don't even think about it" said Victoria. Jake slowly pulled his hand back. Victoria pulled the remote out of her sweats and held it tightly in her hands.

"Don't you guys have some adoring fan girls to entertain?" asked Victoria.

"We prefer to visit with you" said Andy. Everyone shifted on the bed and Victoria found herself leaning against Josh's warm chest, his legs were stretched out on either side of her. Victoria found the position ridiculously comforting and fought hard not to close her eyes. She could only imagine what she'd find scribbled on her face with magic marker if she fell asleep first. Josh leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"It's ok to rest if you're tired, we won't do anything to you" he said.

"I don't trust you" said Victoria.

"That's just because you don't know us well enough yet" said Phil stroking Victoria's cheek.

"Yeah we promise to keep you safe no matter what" said Jonathon patting her arm. Victoria smiled and shut her eyes. The guys all shared a look and as Victoria slipped into dreamland the guys formulated an evil plan.


	15. Chapter 15

Victoria woke up slowly her head pounding and her legs feeling strangely numb. She tried to move her hands to wipe the sleep out of her eyes but she realized she couldn't move them. Opening her mouth she screamed as loud as she possibly could, but it was muffled by the piece of duct tape across her lips. Her eyes scanned the room frantically and she saw Andy and Jonathon asleep in the chairs, Josh and Jake asleep on the floor and Phil in her bed. None of the guys woke up when she screamed. Her panic level was rising and she felt herself start sweating and she could feel her heart pounding. She tried to turn her head but was unable to because there was a piece of tape across her forehead holding her immobile. The bile rose in her throat as her body began to go into full blown panic. Her eyes watered and her choked sobs were muffled by the tape. Her uneven breathing eventually started to turn into hyperventilating breaths making Victoria very dizzy. Trying to move any limb she started to tap her finger nails on the wall hoping that the noise would wake someone. Her rational mind was fleeing and she became more and more hysterical. Finally she saw Josh roll over and open his eyes.

Josh woke up to the annoying sound of tapping. He rolled over to find the source of the noise and hopefully silence it when he saw Victoria duct taped to the hotel wall. It was a hilarious prank, they had used an entire roll of tape and he wondered how long it would take them to get her down. Giving Victoria a smug smile he was about to roll over and try to go back to sleep when he noticed Victoria shaking violently. Sitting up he looked closer, her cheeks were stained with tears and there was blood running out from underneath the duct tape on her mouth. Her hands were clenched and he could see the where her thumb nail had cut into her index finger. Getting up he walked over to Victoria and looked into her eyes, the pupils were dilated and she was hyperventilating.

"Jake! Get up, we need to get her down, she's having some sort of attack" yelled Josh. His statement woke up everyone in the room. Andy strode over to Victoria and looked into her eyes.

"Shit, something is definitely wrong" he said. "Jon, toss me your knife." The pocket knife sailed through the air and Andy deftly caught it. Meanwhile Jake pulled the duct tape off of Victoria's mouth. Everyone expected a scream, but they heard nothing. Blood was pouring out of Victoria's mouth from her biting the inside of her mouth.

"Jake, get a towel" said Andy. Jake immediately rushed into the bathroom and grabbed one of the hotels snowy white towels. Walking back to Victoria he pressed it into her mouth trying to staunch the blood flow. Andy was working to cut away most of the tape around Victoria's arms, his goal was just to get her off the wall and onto the floor, they could worry about getting all the tape off of her later.

"Victoria, you're fine, I'm getting you down right now" said Andy in the same tone he used on spooked horses. Victoria didn't respond, if anything her breathing got more erratic.

"Jake get the towel off her mouth, I think it's making her worse" said Andy. Phil and Jonathon sat back on the bed watching the scene tensely. When they considered this prank they never really thought about anything going wrong. Andy managed to get one of Victoria's arms free and it immediately started pulling at the tape on her forehead. Victoria managed to get a corner up but pulled out a pretty significant chunk of hair in the process. Josh grabbed her hand and she started fighting him.

"Victoria, I'll get the tape off. You are going to pull out all your hair if you try to do it" he said. Victoria was still fighting. Jake took her hand from Josh and slowly rubbed her arm struggling to keep her still. Josh carefully took the knife cutting the tape on either side of Victoria's head. He handed back the knife to Andy who went back to work on her other arm. Once her head was free Jake let go of her arm. Victoria's arm went to her forehead and tore off the tape pulling off a little skin with it. Everyone in the room cringed at sound of the tearing tape and peeling flesh.

Victoria tried to move back into her sane mind, she was fighting the automatic response her body had to trauma, fight or flight. With one arm free she started tugging slightly on her hair and asked her mind to focus on the scalp pain. Next she tried to slow her breathing slightly, she purposefully took deep breaths pushing them out slowly for counts of 10. Josh walked into her field of vision and she grabbed his sleeve and stared into his eyes trying to convey telepathically that she needed medicine. He just looked at her his eyes widening in panic. Victoria abruptly let go of him and pointed to the bathroom while trying to mouth the word medicine with her mouth.

"Vicks, we have to take all the tape off before you can go to the bathroom" said Josh. Victoria shook her head which made her horribly dizzy. Her head lolled back and forth a few times before she was able to steady it.

"I think she wants something from the bathroom" said Jake.

"Boys, go check if she has meds in there or something" said Andy. At his statement Victoria began vigorously nodding her head. Jake walked into the bathroom and opened the overnight bag sitting on the counter. It was filled with about 15 pill bottles. "She has a shit load of medicine in here, which one does she need?" yelled Jake.

"Jake, just read the bottles they should say what they are for" said Phil walking into the bathroom. Jake handed his dad a handful of bottles and they both quickly read through all the bottles.

"She has one for itching, I wonder what kind of itching?" asked Jake setting the bottle aside.

"Lets worry about finding something for her right now and we can go through the rest of the medicines with her later" said Phil. Jake found one bottle with a bright green sticker on the side that had the word "Emergency" printed on it.

"Valium, do you think that's it?" asked Jake.

"That'll do" said Phil grabbing the bottle out of his son's hand.

Walking back into the room Phil saw that both of Victoria's arms were now free and she seemed to be pulling her hair with both hands. Josh was holding her to wall while Andy worked on freeing her legs. Phil walked over to her and showed her the bottle.

"Is this the right one?" he asked. Victoria shook her head No. She opened her mouth to speak but the only thing to come out was a stream of blood. Jake walked up behind his dad brandishing a bottle with a red sticker on it which had "Critical" on it. The moment Victoria saw the sticker she nodded. Jake uncapped the bottle and poured a handful of pills into his hand. Victoria shook her head and raised one finger. Jake poured the excess pills back into the bottle. Holding the pill into his hand he looked around for some water so Victoria could take the pill. Victoria leaned forward and sucked the pill into her mouth using her spit and blood to swallow it. Josh pressed the towel back onto Victoria's mouth trying once again to stop the flow of blood. This time Victoria didn't fight having the towel up to her face. It took Andy over an hour to get her completely cut away from the wall and by that time the medicine had kicked in and Victoria was sleeping on Josh's shoulder. Walking her over to the bed Josh laid her down. She was a mess, she had tape all over he clothes, arms and legs, her eyes were puffy and the inside of her mouth was still bleeding steadily.

"Do you think we should take her to a hospital?" asked Jonathon.

"I think we should wait to see how she is when she wakes up" said Andy. "Meanwhile lets take the rest of the tape off of her while she's out. By the way Jake what did you give her?"

"It called lorazapan" said Jake reading the bottle. "But their is a little sticker on the bottle that says critical."

"Yeah mine was Valium" said Phil. "But my sticker was only green and said emergency."

"Clearly this kind of prank does not go over well with people with panic attacks" said Josh thoughtfully.

"No kidding" said Andy. The guys started pulling the tape off of Victoria. They started out going very slowly and trying to minimize the pain, however they soon realized that she wasn't feeling anything so they started to tear away the tape with abandon. After one particularly vicious tear Victoria winced. The tape removal took the better part of an hour and by the time the last piece of tape was removed all of Victoria's exposed skin was red and gluey.

"We should give her a bath to try to take the glue off" said Phil thoughtfully.

"Phil buddy, we just taped her to a wall, gave her a panic attack and now you want to strip her and throw her in a bathtub?" said Jonathon. "You are viscous."

"We can leave her clothes on, but that glue is going to be hard to get off. If she soaks for a little while it may soften it enough to peel off" explained Phil. The guys seemed to mull over the idea before deciding that it was sound. Josh ran the bath making sure the water was nice and warm.

Victoria's eye's shot open the second she hit the water. She was dressed and in water, as she looked around in her drug induced haze she wondered if she hadn't died and heaven was really a deadliest catch re-run. Victoria smiled pleasantly and sunk beneath the water.

"Oh shit, pull her up" said Phil. Josh reached into the bath and picked up Victoria, he'd just brought her to the surface before he lost his hold on her and she dropped back in splashing everyone. The second attempt was a success and Josh sat Victoria back up and called her name. Victoria reopened her eyes and smiled again, she obviously had held her breath when she slipped beneath the water because she didn't cough or show any signs of distress.

"Josh, get in there with her so she doesn't slip down again" said Phil. Josh released Victoria for a minute and stripped down to his boxers before getting into the tub behind Victoria. In response Victoria laid her head back onto his shoulder exactly how she had the night before. Phil knelt down against the side of the tub and picked up Victoria's arm, he grabbed a washcloth and started to rub the glue from the duct tape off. Josh laid his head back against the tub and closed his eyes, he'd never taken a bath with a women before. Granted this wasn't the ideal situation since she was still fully dressed and there were 4 other guys in the room with him but it was still something.

"Hand me a washcloth so I can get the blood off her face" said Josh. Andy handed him a washcloth and Josh carefully wiped around Victoria's mouth trying to clean up as much of the blood as he could. Next he started to clean the glue off of her forehead. On closer inspection he realized that her whole forehead was slightly abraded. Josh finally got out of the tub once the water had turned cold and Victoria started to shiver. Phil wrapped her up in a towel and then realized that he was still going to have to undress her to get her out of the wet clothes.

"Maybe we could just wake her up to get her to change" suggested Andy.

"We should at least pick out what she's going to wear" said Jonathon walking over to her suitcase. He knelt down at started to pick through her clothes. "Why does she have so much Northwestern shit in here?"

"She bought everything that Helly Hansen made" said Phil with a smile. "All in girly colors, Sig almost had a heart attack."

"Well she has good taste in undies?" said Jonathon holding up a pair of pink and black satin panties. Jon finished picking out some clothes for Victoria and took them over to the bed.

"Vicks, you need to change out of the wet clothes" said Phil shaking her slightly. Victoria opened her eyes and gazed into Phil's eyes.

"Why are my clothes wet?" she asked.

"We had to wash off the tape" said Phil.

"Why are my clothes wet?" asked Victoria again.

"Because we didn't want to strip you" said Phil. Victoria nodded and got unsteadily to her feet. She attempted to take off her t-shirts and after a few attempts Phil leaned over and pulled it off of her. "Thank you" she muttered. Phil tried to dry her off a little more before Victoria managed to take off her bra. She leaned over to pick up her clothes and fell face first onto the bed. Phil sighed and pulled her up while Andy slid her t-shirt over her head. Andy knelt down and pulled down her wet pants and underwear. Her shirt was just long enough to keep her modesty in tact. Sliding her panties up her leg Andy carefully slipped them on. Phil laid her down on the bed and Victoria slid her legs under the covers.

"I say we just forgo the pants" said Andy.

"Agreed" said Phil sitting down heavily in a chair.

"Since she is resting I think Andy and I are going to take off" said Jonathon.

"Ok, the boys and I will stay here and keep an eye on her" said Phil.

"I'll call you later to find out how she's doing" said Jon.

Meanwhile Norman sat at a very nice restaurant plotting the ways he was going to kill his brothers. He'd been forcibly dragged out of his house an hour ago and was now sitting next to his mother at a family lunch. The pleasantries had been exchanged and he was just waiting for her to ask after Victoria.

"Norman, where is Victoria? Surely she's not so busy that she can't come eat with us?" asked Sver. Norman gave both Edgar and Sig a glare before turning to his mother.

"I don't know where she is. We broke up" explained Norman.

"What did you do?" asked Sver.

"Me?! I didn't do anything" said Norman.

"Then what did she do?" asked Sver. Norman didn't even know how to answer the question, he was still mad at Victoria but she didn't want to paint her in a bad light to his mother.

"We just broke up" said Norman finally.

"I see" said his mom, looking at him appraisingly. Then Sver turned back to speak to Sig turning her attention away from Norman.

"You know she sees through that bullshit answer" said Edgar leaning over to whisper in Norman's ear.

"Hmph" was Norman's response. Norman had just finished his meal when his nephew Andrew climbed into his lap.

"Where's Victoria?" asked Andrew.

"She's probably working" replied Norman.

"She rode all the rides with me at Disney World" said Andrew. "She cried when she talked about you."

"What?" said Norman.

"She rode all the rides" repeated Andrew.

"No, the second thing you said" interrupted Norman.

"She cried when she was talking to mommy about you" said Andrew solemnly.

"When?" asked Norman.

"When she was watching the fireworks" said Andrew simply. Norman just sat silently mulling over the revelation in his head. Victoria was clearly upset by what happened. Norman assumed that she would have jumped right back into Phil's arms but if she was crying to Louise then perhaps he'd overreacted. The rest of the meal quickly passed and Norman was the first one out the door, the only catch was that he had to drive his mother home. As they drove to her house she peppered him with questions about the summer trip on the Northwestern, his plans for the 4th of July, and everything except Victoria. They were about one block from her house when she finally dropped a bombshell.

"Norman, I don't think you should throw away such a pretty girl on a misunderstanding. A girl like her only comes around once in a lifetime" said Sver seriously.

"You don't know what she did" said Norman defensively.

"Then tell me" said Sver. Norman said nothing. "You won't tell me because you know it's not true. What you think in your mind could have happened but you have no proof that it did. Don't throw away love without knowing all the facts, suspicions will drive any relationship into dust." Norman stopped at the house and got out to open the door for his mother.

"Thank you for the advice" said Norman.

"Take it" said Sver plainly. Norman just nodded his head before dropping a kiss on his mother's cheek as she opened her front door. Back in the car Norman dialed Victoria's cell. There was no answer and he immediately dialed again.

"Hey Norman it's Phil" said the voice on the other line. Norman didn't even respond, he slammed the phone closed and tossed it into the windshield creating a hairline crack.

Back at the hotel Phil set Victoria's phone back on the nightstand and went back to watching her sleep. He'd sent Jake and Josh out to get some food and was enjoying the peace and quiet of the room. Laying back on the pillows beside Victoria he watched her chest rise and fall, she'd kicked off the covers and the t-shirt she was wearing had ridden up exposing her soft stomach and panties. Phil couldn't help but notice her beautiful body, her flat tummy and perky breasts. Sighing her looked at her face, she was frowning slightly in her sleep and he could see her eyes moving beneath her lids. He wondered what kind of dream she was having. Victoria moved onto her side slinging her naked leg over Phil's and settling her head on his chest. Phil smiled at his good fortune and wrapped his arms protectively around Victoria's body. The moment was interrupted by the boys knocking on the door. Phil cursed their timing and carefully moved Victoria off of him and opened the door. Jake and Josh walked into the room and froze at the sight of Victoria on the bed. She looked like a playboy model, her shirt was pulled sideways exposing her stomach and the top of one of her breasts almost to the nipple. Her legs were splayed out and her panties were on full display. Phil saw the looks on his boys faces and gave both of them a quick whack in the back of the head.

"Damn it dad, what have you been doing while we were gone?" asked Jake quickly ducking his dad's next slap.

"Yeah, who knew she had such a rockin body" said Josh walking over to the bed. Phil was about to yell at him when he saw that Josh was just covering Victoria with the blanket.

"What did you get for lunch?" asked Phil grabbing a bag from Jake and walking to the table. Phil and the boys ate their sandwiches and watched some TV. All three turned when they heard Victoria move in the bed.

"Hey" she said quietly her voice heavy with sleep.

"Victoria, how are you feeling" asked Phil quietly.

"Fine" said Victoria confused by the question.

"You feel fine?" asked Josh.

"Yeah, why what happened?" asked Victoria her face scrunched up in confusion.

"You've got to be kidding right?" asked Josh.

"Josh, give her a few minutes to wake up" barked Phil. Victoria got out of bed and looked down.

"Where are my pants?" asked Victoria.

"Right here" said Jake handing her a pair of sweats.

"Why am I not wearing them" asked Victoria. Looking at the guys faces she realized that it was going to be an involved story and she needed to pee. "Never mind, I'll be right back." Walking into the bathroom she hurried to the toilet, as she peed she noticed all her medicine bottles were out on the counter and like a wave the entire episode washed over her. Dropping her head into her hands she took some deep breaths and tried to calm down. After a minute she felt better and quickly stood up and washed her hands. Looking through all the medicine she put it back into her travel bag. With a sigh she opened the door and walked back into the room. Sitting down on the bed she slipped on the sweatpants and grabbed a bottle of water out of the mini fridge.

"So, do you want to tell me exactly what happened this morning?" asked Victoria.

"You had some sort of panic attack" said Josh. Victoria just nodded.

"You bit your lip and we had to give you some medicine" said Jake handing her the pill bottle.

"Why did you duct tape me to the wall?" asked Victoria.

"You do remember" said Phil in relief. Victoria shot him a dark look and the smile dropped from his face.

"It was just a joke, we didn't know you'd react the way you did" said Josh.

"I could have died" said Victoria seriously. None of the three guys in the room said anything, the reality of the situation hit them like a ton of bricks. "I have anxiety attacks when I can't move my arms or feel trapped in anyway."

"You should have told us" said Josh.

"I never thought it would be an issue. It's never been an issue in all the other jobs I've ever had" said Victoria.

"We're really sorry Victoria" said Phil. He walked over and gathered Victoria into his arms and rubbed her back soothingly. Victoria just collapsed into his embrace burying her head into his chest. Jake and Josh both looked at how tiny she looked in their father's arms, like a tiny ball.

"Are you hungry?" asked Jake.

"Not really" said Victoria. "Just tired."

"Why don't you get a little rest, we can check back in on you later" said Phil laying Victoria down on the bed and tucking her in.

"Alright, but don't think you are going to get away with your little prank. There will be payback and it will be fierce" said Victoria closing her eyes. Phil, Jake and Josh walked out of the room wondering what she was going to do to them.

The few weeks leading up to the summer fishing season flew by and before Victoria realized it was the day before the Northwestern was leaving. Louise had called her to invite her to a small send off party for Norman and Edgar. Victoria had thought of begging off but decided she couldn't run from Norman forever, so she agreed to attend. Norman had given up trying to ditch out on the party and had steeled himself for the eventual confrontation with Victoria. Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt Victoria walked up to the front door of Edgar's house. Before she even raised her hand to knock the door swung open revealing a very excited 5 year old.

"I've been waiting for you" said Andrew excitedly.

"I've missed you" said Victoria kneeling down to give him a big hug. Andrew tugged her by the arm into the backyard.

"She's hear" he yelled. Every head in the place turned to look at Victoria who smiled and waved. Telling Andrew she was going to say a quick hi to his mommy and daddy. Andrew nodded and wandered off to play with the other kids. Victoria took a deep breath and walked over to greet her hosts.

"Hi Louise and Edgar, thank you for inviting me" said Victoria.

"I'm so glad you made it" said Louise giving Victoria a hug.

"Yeah, Andrew has been sitting at the front room window all day" said Edgar.

"I suppose that explains who he was able to open the door before I knocked" said Victoria.

"He probably heard the screeching of tires" said Edgar. Victoria just rolled her eyes and smiled. Victoria accepted Edgar's offer of a drink and followed him into the kitchen.

"What do you want?" asked Edgar.

"Soda" said Victoria. Edgar tossed her a can of coke and walked back outside. Norman appeared from around the corner and stopped.

"Hi Norman" said Victoria.

"Hi Victoria" said Norman.

"Good luck on the boat, I hope everything goes smoothly" said Victoria.

"Thanks" said Norman. Victoria sensed that the moment was over and she walked back out into the backyard. Andrew quickly intercepted her and she spent the rest of the party playing with the kids. Edgar and Sig both approached Norman as he sat quietly smoking in a deck chair.

"Hey Norm, did you talk to Victoria?" asked Sig.

"I said hello, she wished me good luck on the trip" said Norman his eyes drifting over to where Victoria was pushing Andrew on the swing set.

"Did you apologize for calling her slut?" asked Edgar.

"No, and I'm not going to. I called her after the interrogation with mom and Phil answered her phone" spat Norman.

"Maybe she asked him to answer her phone" suggested Edgar.

"Whatever" said Norman.

"Dude, you need to let go of all this anger and find out the truth. There is probably a reasonable explanation for everything" said Edgar.

"I'll find out what happened" said Sig striding across the lawn to where Victoria was standing.

"Victoria, can I have a word with you" asked Sig.

"Sure. Andrew I'll be back in a little while" said Victoria.

Victoria followed Sig over to a group of chairs and sat down lightly in one of them. Sig fished out a cigarette and offered Victoria one which she declined. Victoria watched as Sig lit the cigarette and took a long drag before sitting forward in his seat.

"What's going on between you and Phil?" asked Sig.

"I've been seeing a lot of him because he has a lot of appearances, we're friends" said Victoria.

"Specifically why did Phil answer your phone the day after CatchCon" asked Sig.

"Because I was in no condition to answer the phone" said Victoria. Then she proceeded to explain the whole duct taping incident to Sig.

"Victoria, that sounds terrible" said Sig.

"It was. In fact I would say that near death experience far surpasses the one I had on your boat" said Victoria.

"You should have told us that you have panic issues" said Sig.

"I'm thinking of having a t-shirt made" said Victoria sarcastically.

"So you just slept all day?" asked Sig.

"Basically. I didn't even know Norman called. Did he talk to Phil?" asked Victoria.

"Nope, he threw the phone when Phil answered and cracked his windshield" said Sig.

"How mature" said Victoria. Andrew was waving to Victoria from across the lawn. "Well Sig, if this little fact finding mission is over I'm going to play."

"Have a good time Elf" said Sig.

Later that evening Victoria read Andrew his bedtime stories and tucked him in to bed. Edgar and Louise watched from the doorway both smiling at the way she gave Andrew a sweet kiss on the cheek before singing him a lullaby. They both quickly withdrew before Victoria could see them.

"She's going to be a great mom" said Louise with a smile.

"Yeah, but the question is who is going to be the dad" said Edgar. "Norman is so completely stubborn, he won't even find out what the truth is, he just wants to think the worst of her."

"Maybe you can talk some sense into him on the trip" suggested Louise.

"Yeah maybe" said Edgar. Victoria made her way downstairs and into the living room. She took a seat next to Sver whom she'd been avoiding all night.

"Good evening Sver" said Victoria.

"Victoria, it's lovely to see you. I've missed you at a few of our other functions" said Sver.

"I'm sorry I've been busy" said Victoria.

"Has my idiot son talked to you yet?" asked Sver.

"I've talked to all three of them this evening" said Victoria.

"You know what I mean my dear" said Sver.

"If you mean have we said more than 2 words to each other then no" said Victoria sadly.

"Don't give up on him" said Sver.

"I haven't, but I'm worried he's given up on me" said Victoria.

"Then he really is an idiot" said Sver. Victoria and Sver continued to chat for a little while longer before Victoria excused herself. She made her rounds saying goodbye to everyone and wishing the guys a good season. As she passed Sver she dropped a kiss on her cheek and said goodbye. Walking out the front door she felt disappointed that she hadn't seen Norman again to tell him to take good care of himself on the trip.

Norman and the rest of the crew left port the next day for a couple of months of Salmon tendering. Victoria decided that since the majority of appearances were taken care of until 4th of July she would go back to LA for a few weeks to check on her place. Alexis dropped her off at the airport and promised to take good care of Gary until she got back. Sig was completely mortified at the insanity of Victoria's decision to leave her new car in the care of his 18 year old daughter. Victoria had explained that she trusted Alexis to take good care of Gary and was confident that the car would be fine. Sig made her promise not to sue him if anything happened to her car. Victoria readily agreed.

Back at her LA apartment Victoria took a lot of hot baths and ate a fair amount of ice cream. She relished the silence as it gave her a lot of time to reflect on her whirlwind romance with Norman. After much soul searching she decided that maybe they weren't meant to be together. She decided to give the relationship over to her higher power, if it was fated it would happen. Feeling better about her love life for the first time in months she decided to go out to dinner with friends. Dinner was a fun affair filled with questions about her clients and their weird habits and requests. As she told story after story to her friends she realized that she would really be sad when this job came to an end. The guys were one of a kind and she would probably never have such cool easy going bosses again. Her weeks at home came to an end and again she packed her bag for the rest promotional tour.

Alexis picked her up from the airport and immediately handed Victoria the keys to the car. Victoria drove Alexis back to her house and spent a good chunk of the time looking through pictures of prom and chatting with June. Sig came into the house and immediately turned and went back out.

"Too many girls" said June as explanation. Victoria just laughed, she suddenly felt like she was home. Shaking off the feeling she said goodbye and headed to Phil's house. He had insisted she stay in his guest room instead of the hotel. Victoria had reluctantly agreed once she realized that Phil wasn't going to drop the issue.

**Thanks for all the reviews, I enjoy reading all of them**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks for all the reviews. Please continue to read and review.**

Phil moved around his house like a nervous housewife making sure that everything was perfect for Victoria's arrival. He'd basically harassed her until she agreed to stay with him while she was up in Seattle. Checking in on her bedroom one last time he made sure the flowers in the vase were still alive and that the tiny soaps in the bathroom looked perfect. Next he went downstairs where he checked that the beers in the fridge were cold and the sparkling water that Josh said Victoria liked was towards the front. Lighting a cigarette he sat down on the living room couch and flipped on the TV. He was halfway through his smoke when he heard the distinct sounds of Victoria pulling into his driveway. Standing up he made his way to the door and opened it just in time to see Victoria pulling her suitcase up to his front door.

"Hi Phil" said Victoria. She stopped rolling her suitcase to give Phil a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Vicks, I'm glad you made it. Lets get your stuff inside" said Phil picking up her suitcase. He led her to her room making sure to show her the attached bathroom. Victoria picked up one of the soaps from the decorative basket and sniffed.

"Lime Verbena is my favorite" said Victoria happily.

"Really?" said Phil with a smile. Josh had told him it was the soap she had in the bathroom at her apartment. Victoria allowed Phil to lead her down to the kitchen. Victoria slipped her laptop out of her bag and slid into one of the kitchen chairs. Popping open the laptop she updated her calendar and sent an email to Tony letting him know she'd arrived safely.

"Looking at porn already" said Phil setting a beer down next to Victoria.

"Yes, I can't go a minute without seeing some naked girl with fake boobs getting it from behind" said Victoria before taking a sip of the beer. The comment almost made Phil choke on his beer.

"Well....the boys are coming over tonight and we are going to barbeque" said Phil.

"Sounds like fun" said Victoria.

"What did you do at home?" asked Phil.

"I saw some of my friends, I ate some ice cream, took some baths, nothing really exciting" said Victoria. "What did you do?"

"I rode my bike around a bit, worked on a few birdhouses just generally relaxed" said Phil.

"Did you think about donating a birdhouse to a charity auction? It would probably really bring in a lot of money. Catch fans all want a piece of you" said Victoria.

"I'll definitely consider it" said Phil.

"Maybe you could make one that looks like the Cornelia Marie" suggested Victoria. Phil looked thoughtful for a few minutes, already trying to think how he could make a boat shaped birdhouse. Victoria finished checking her email and closed the laptop. She smiled at Phil's thoughtful appearance and decided to get to the TV so she could pick a show to watch. Phil noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye and quickly shifted his gaze to Victoria.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"To watch TV, unless you had something else planned?" said Victoria.

"Nope, although your taste in TV is horrible" said Phil.

"I know, but I love reality TV" said Victoria. Phil watched in horror as Victoria flipped the channels stopping on some house cleaning show. She explained the premise to him and he couldn't keep the horrified look off of his face. Victoria stopped mid explanation and sighed in exasperation before turning back to the TV.

"Victoria, I know that you are my guest, but if you don't change this I'm going to throw the TV out the window" said Phil.

"You couldn't even lift this TV it's got to be 60 inches and looks bolted into the wall" said Victoria.

"I'd find a way" said Phil. Victoria reluctantly changed the channel finding an episode of Cash Cab on the Discovery channel.

"I bet I can get more questions right than you" said Victoria.

"What are the stakes of this bet?" asked Phil.

"Control of the TV without any whining from the loosing party" said Victoria.

"Deal" said Phil. Victoria paused the show after each question was asked and she and Phil shouted out the answers. Both Phil and Victoria were surprised at the others knowledge and by the end of the show they were tied. The video bonus question was revealed and Phil shouted out the answer before the clip was even finished playing.

"Wow, you are good" said Victoria.

"I have a confession to make" said Phil.

"What is it?" asked Victoria.

"I've already seen this episode before" said Phil with a smile. Victoria's smiled quickly disappeared and was replaced by an angry frown.

"You are a huge cheater" said Victoria.

"No I'm not" said Phil. "You didn't ask me if I'd seen the episode before, for all I knew you'd seen it too."

"I'm adding this to the list" said Victoria.

"What list" asked Phil.

"My list of reasons for revenge" said Victoria. "The number one spot is the duct tape incident and now this is going at the bottom."

"How long is this list?" asked Phil.

"Long enough" said Victoria her voice taking on a menacing quality.

"The duct tape was not my idea" said Phil.

"Yes, but you helped" said Victoria.

"I convinced them not to strip you first" said Phil. Victoria's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in absolute horror.

"That's horrible, they wouldn't do that to me" said Victoria her tone almost hopeful. Phil's eyes softened and he shook his head.

"No, they wouldn't have, it was just suggested at one point but not seriously" said Phil.

"Who suggested it?" asked Victoria.

"I don't remember" said Phil suddenly finding the coffee table very interesting.

"I bet" said Victoria. They spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV together.

Jake and Josh arrived at the house a little before 6 with bags full of groceries. They barreled into the house and deposited the bags in the kitchen before sweeping Victoria up and giving her a hug. Josh set her down and Jake dipped her backwards giving her a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Jacob, get the hell off of her" said Phil.

"She liked it" said Jake bringing Victoria back to vertical. Victoria moved away from Jake and started to unpack the bags in the kitchen. She managed to pull out all the ingredients and was just about to turn to ask what the menu was when Phil appeared behind her.

"What are you doing Vicks?" he asked his breath tickling her hair.

"Unpacking the groceries. What are we having for dinner?" asked Victoria.

"Jake is cooking" said Phil. "Lets go outside." Victoria grabbed a few beers and followed Phil out to his back porch. The house overlooked the sound and the sun was starting to sink in the sky.

"The view is beautiful here" said Victoria quietly.

"It certainly is" said Phil looking at Victoria instead of the view. Josh walked out of the door and sat down on the arm of Victoria's chair.

"Hey Elf, what's been going on?" he asked.

"Nothing much, just enjoyed being at home although it was really quiet without you and Jake there" said Victoria.

"I bet" said Phil. Victoria reached into Josh's pocket and pulled out his pack of cigarettes then dug her hand in to find the lighter. Josh commanded his body not to respond to her hand moving around in his pocket. Thankfully she managed to pull out the lighter before his arousal would be noticeable. Lighting the cigarette she slipped the box and lighter back into Josh's pocket.

"What have you been up to?" Victoria asked Josh. "Picking up rabid fans at bars?"

"Not recently, but the summer is still young" said Josh with a smile.

"So what is Jake making for dinner?" asked Victoria.

"Something on the grill, he loves grilling" said Phil.

"I hope there is asparagus, I love grilled asparagus" said Victoria.

"Interesting, I think their may be some of those" said Josh. "I got some really yummy cheese for you too."

"Oh really? What kind?" asked Victoria.

"It's a surprise" said Josh with a wink.

"I hope you brought something for me" said Phil.

"Of course we did" said Josh with an innocent smile.

Later after a delicious dinner everyone sat down quietly outside enjoying the pleasant night air. Victoria was swirling her brandy around in a crystal snifter. The boys brought Phil a delicious brandy as his treat. Victoria was pleasantly buzzed and found herself feeling almost numb. She was sitting on the arm of Phil's chair because there were only 3 chairs on the porch. Phil had insisted that there had once been four and then thrown a glare in the boys direction. Victoria sensed that there was an amusing story to go along with the glare but Phil looked like he may explode if it was brought up. Victoria leaned her head back to look at the stars, but her center of balance shifted and she fell into Phil's lap.

"Well hello beautiful. If you wanted to sit in my lap all you had to do is ask" said Phil.

"Sorry about that, I was trying to look at all the stars" said Victoria. "But at least I didn't spill my drink."

"Always looking on the bright side" said Phil helping to move Victoria into a more comfortable position. Victoria wiggled around a little getting settled in Phil's lap.

"Stop moving around and just sit still" said Phil.

"I'm just getting comfy" said Victoria.

"She never stops squirming" said Josh.

"Yep, she can't sit still to save her life" added Jake.

"I can too, I just want to get comfortable" said Victoria.

"Alright, prove it. Sit still for the next 5 minutes" said Phil.

"Fine" said Victoria. She wiggled a few times and then stopped. She lasted about 3 minutes before she couldn't stand it any more and started to move.

"Oh my God. She couldn't even make it 5 minutes" said Josh smiling.

"I'm sorry, I get antsy" said Victoria.

"Well I can't say it's the most uncomfortable wiggling I've ever felt" said Josh dreamily. Victoria just rolled her eyes and got up.

"Get back here Vicks, just because you wiggle a lot doesn't mean you have to get off my lap. I rather enjoyed all the wiggling" said Phil.

"That is exactly the reason I'm getting off your lap" said Victoria. "Besides I'm out of brandy."

"Bring the bottle out, I think we could all use a refill" said Phil. Victoria walked into the house and returned with the bottle proceeding to top off everyone's glasses.

The group moved inside when it got a little too cold outside. Sitting in the living room Victoria was laying sideways in one of the cushy chairs. She was attempting to play Josh at the Deadliest Catch video game, so far she'd managed to sink the Northwestern twice, once while still in the harbor. Jake was trying to coach her but she wasn't really listening to his advice. In fact all she was really doing was pushing random buttons.

"Victoria, stop pushing the pause button" said Josh in disgust.

"Which one is that" said Victoria.

"You'd probably do better if you sat up" said Jake.

"I didn't realize that posture was important when playing video games" said Victoria.

"Sit up and I'll show you how to play" said Jake. Victoria just tossed the remote at Jake which hit him in the side of the head.

"Sorry" said Victoria dissolving into a fit of giggles.

"You are so going to pay for that" said Jake as he stood up. Walking over to Victoria he quickly started his tickle attack.

"Oh my God stop, I'm going to pee my pants" cried Victoria.

"Good, it will teach you a lesson" said Jake.

"Jacob, let her up so she doesn't pee all over the chair" barked Phil. Jake reluctantly stopped and pulled Victoria to her feet. She immediately bolted to the bathroom not even bothering to close to the door behind her. Jake followed her to the bathroom where he stood in the doorway watching her. Victoria looked up at him, slightly surprised he'd followed her.

"It's nice to see you don't have a shy bladder" said Jake.

"Um, thanks" said Victoria. "I'll have to add that to my resume." Victoria finished up in the bathroom all under Jake's watchful eyes. She brushed past him and Jake grabbed her arm.

"Don't think we're finished" said Jake. He let go of Victoria's arm and walked into the bathroom closing the door behind him. Victoria mentally shrugged then walked back into the living room.

Phil and Josh were playing the game when Victoria walked back in. She picked up the empty brandy glasses and returned them to the kitchen. While in the kitchen she grabbed 4 beers from the fridge before walking back to the living room. Using the bottle opener she quickly opened all four beers in row managing to catch the bottle tops in her hand before setting them down on the table.

"That was pretty impressive" said Josh. "Where'd you learn that particular skill?"

"I've had a few bartender friends" said Victoria with a wink.

"Like your friend at Teddy's?" asked Josh.

"Yep, and lots of other places. It always pays to befriend the bartender" said Victoria.

"Is there anything you can't do?" asked Josh with mock reverence.

"She can't play video games" answered Jake. Victoria passed him a beer which he instantly touched to the back of her neck making her flinch.

"God, you are like 7 years old, pulling my hair on the playground to get me to notice you" said Victoria.

"Jake she so has your number" said Josh.

"Whatever" said Jake pulling Victoria's hair. The hair pulling didn't even make Victoria flinch, it was something she did to herself every so often to help change her focus. Victoria turned around and grabbed Jake by the shoulders and turned him towards her, then she planted a big sloppy kiss on his lips. Victoria let him go and moved to sit next to Phil on the couch. Jake was completely frozen in shock, not in a million years did he expect a kiss. Phil leaned over and pulled Victoria's hair.

"What?" said Victoria turning to Phil. He had his lips puckered and Victoria gave him a soft kiss. She could feel him smile the second her lips touched him.

"Do I have to pull your hair or will you just come over and give me a kiss?" asked Josh giving her his best puppy dog eyes. Victoria got up and walked over and settled herself sideways on his lap, cradling his head in her hands she gave him a very seductive kiss. Josh tried to get Victoria to deepen the kiss but she pulled back. She moved to get up and Josh held her tight to him.

"Josh, are you playing the game or what?" asked Jake. Josh reluctantly let Victoria get up and picked up the discarded game controller. Victoria settled on the couch next to Phil to nurse her beer.

"So Victoria, what are the plans for tomorrow?" asked Jake.

"I have a chili cook off thing with Sig" said Victoria. "Which reminds me to stop off at the store to pick up some Tums." Jake and Victoria talked a little more until her eyes started to get heavy. She laid her head down on the arm of the couch and closed her eyes. Phil turned to Jake and nodded his head towards the stairs. Jake understood the unspoken request and gingerly picked up Victoria and carried her upstairs.

Once in the bedroom Jake laid her down gently on the bed. He looked around the room and had to stifle a laugh. The room that he'd crashed in a few times since his dad moved in looked completely different. The bedspread and sheets matched, there were decorative pillows on the bed, fresh flowers on the nightstand and the room had been recently vacuumed. Jake spotted Victoria's suitcase in the closet and quickly retrieved a set of pajamas for her. He thought about waking her up but decided against it, he could just change her himself. He started by taking off her socks then moved to pull down her black pants. The second the pants came down Jake was shocked at the tiny underwear she was wearing, it barely covered her pubic bone and made it abundantly clear that Victoria was clean shaven. His breath caught in his throat and he rushed to move the pants all the way down and get the pajama pants on before she woke up. Jake slipped the pants onto her finding it remarkably easy to slip them over her bottom.

"Jake, what is it with your family and a fascination with undressing and redressing me" said Victoria. Jake abruptly let go of the pants he was holding and stared at Victoria's face. Her eyes were still closed and she looked much like she was still asleep, but her statement clearly proved she wasn't.

"Um, we like to make sure you're comfortable" said Jake.

"I think you just like looking at my panties" said Victoria.

"I didn't look at them" said Jake defensively.

"Sure you didn't" said Victoria sitting up. Without opening her eyes she reached for the shirt on the bed and moved it to her lap, next she shucked off her shirt and bra before pulling the tank top over her head. It was completely immodest and she knew that Jake probably had gotten a good eye full but she didn't really care. Turning around she crawled up to the head of the bed and tossed a few of the pillows to the floor before climbing under the covers.

"Good night Jake" she said. Jake snapped back to the present and quickly said good night before walking out of the room.

The next day Victoria was up and out of the house by 10, she'd checked on Phil and the boys and found they were all fast asleep. Leaving a quick note on the fridge she headed out to Sig's house, making sure she stopped off at the store on the way for some antacids. Sig greeted her at the door inviting her in for a minute to say hello. Victoria gave June and Alexis a hug before happily accepting a cup of coffee and a scone.

"June, Alexis are you sure you don't want to go? The invitation was for the whole Hansen family" said Victoria.

"No thanks, we are going back to the spa you sent us to for Valentine's day" said June.

"I sent you there" said Sig.

"Of course you did dear" said June in a patronizing voice.

"Lets go Elf before you start yapping about facial wraps and seaweed scrubs" grumbled Sig.

"Ok, I'll drive" said Victoria.

"Fine, I suppose I couldn't get away with not riding with you, everyone else seems to love talking about their near death experiences" said Sig. Victoria unlocked the car and Sig got in immediately surprised at the roominess of the car on the inside. He fastened his seatbelt and watched as Victoria plugged their destination into the GPS before putting the car into gear and zooming out of the driveway.

"So how are the guys on the trip doing?" asked Victoria.

"They are good" said Sig trying to keep his voice calm as Victoria darted in and out of lanes.

"How's Norman" she asked softly. Sig completely forgot to fear for his life and turned to face Victoria. Her face was still glued to the road but he could see a small tear forming in her eye. "He's fine, says the trip is going well" said Sig.

"I'm glad" said Victoria swiping a tear from her eye.

"You have the number for the boat I'm sure they'd love to hear from you" said Sig.

"No" said Victoria. Sig's focused back to the road as Victoria weaved across 3 lanes and turned a corner at no less that 50 miles an hour. They arrived at the fairgrounds and Sig gratefully got out of the car. Victoria led him to the judging tent and got him checked in. She sat off to the side munching on cotton candy and roasted corn as Sig sampled 35 different kinds of chili. Just watching him ingest so much chili made Victoria's stomach turn. When the contest was over and Sig had announced the winner Victoria asked him if he wanted to ride any of the fair rides. He turned his death glare on her and she smiled back at him.

"I have some Tums in the car" said Victoria snagging a couple extra bottles of water.

"Thank God" said Sig. Victoria tried her best to drive slowly back to Sig's house. Sig appreciated her efforts even though driving slowly didn't stop her from making abrupt lane changes and tailgating. Victoria helped Sig get comfy in his den, getting him a club soda and some more Tums before she left.

"Please tell Norman I hope he and the rest of the guys are having a good trip" said Victoria.

"I will. Take care of yourself Elf" said Sig. Instead of going straight back to Phil's Victoria stopped at a market and picked up everything she needed to make a special dinner.

Phil and the boys were watching TV in the living room when Victoria walked into the door carrying 2 shopping bags. She smiled at the guys and noticed that they were watching an episode of Deadliest Catch. Walking past them into the kitchen she quickly pulled out all the pots and pans she'd need to make dinner. She chopped and diced and before long Phil's house started smelling like an Italian restaurant. Phil walked into the kitchen and slipped the spoon into the sauce to take a taste.

"It's delicious" said Phil.

"Thanks, it's one of my favorite recipes to make" said Victoria pulling the garlic bread out of the oven. "Will you do me a favor and open the bottle of wine."

"Anything for you my dear" said Phil. Once the bottle of wine was opened Phil set the kitchen table. Victoria quickly dished up the plates and placed them on the table before announcing that dinner was ready.

"Victoria, this is so good. Will you marry me and cook for me everyday" asked Josh pleadingly.

"I'll think about it" said Victoria.

"How was your day? You left awfully early" asked Phil.

"I know, chili contests wait for no one" said Victoria. "It was fine, I doubt Sig will be eating chili again in the near future. But I had fun, it was at the fair, so I had some cotton candy."

"Did you ride any rides?" asked Jake.

"No, unfortunately" said Victoria.

"I'll take you for a ride on my bike tomorrow, more fun than any fair ride" said Phil.

"I've never been on a motorcycle" said Victoria.

"Really? Well this is going to be a first for you then" said Phil with a wicked gleam in his eye. Victoria just raised her glass and gave him a wink in response. Josh helped Victoria do the dishes after dinner and quietly gave her some hints about riding on a motorcycle. Most of the advice involved her driving it, which Victoria considered pretty unlikely since Phil hated her driving. After the dishes were done Victoria and the guys watched a movie before she announced she was going to bed. Josh stood up and followed her upstairs.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I'm going to tuck you in" said Josh happily.

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"Because" was Josh's only response. Victoria walked into her room and quickly extracted a pair of pajamas and some clean underwear from her suitcase. She disappeared into the bathroom emerging a few minutes later changed and with clean teeth.

"Ok, princess time for bed" said Josh patting the turned down blanket. Victoria walked towards the bed and climbed in. Josh folded the blanket over her and tucked it in securely. Next he bent down and gave Victoria a gentle kiss on the lips before pulling back.

"Where are you going tomorrow?" he asked sitting down next to her.

"No where, I'm off tomorrow. But the next day I fly out to meet Andy and Jonathon for some meet and greets in Indiana" replied Victoria.

"Do you think maybe we could have dinner?" asked Josh.

"We had dinner tonight and last night" said Victoria slightly confused by Josh's question.

"I know, but I'd like to take you out to dinner" said Josh.

"I'll think about it" said Victoria.

"Fair enough" said Josh. He leaned down and gave her another kiss on the lips this one slightly longer. Victoria was relieved when he pulled back and walked out of the room. She didn't need another boyfriend, she didn't know where she stood with Norman and having Josh pursue her was just going to lead to trouble. With a small moan she buried her head in the pillow and prayed for a good night sleep.

Hundreds of miles away Norman was taking his turn at wheel watch, as he looked out at the beautiful calm night he thought of Victoria. Edgar had been riding him nonstop about his feelings for her and why he was such an ass. Norman felt he had a right to be upset, she clearly had some explaining to do. Edgar had managed to explain away every point Norman had made until he finally got so frustrated that he threatened to throw Edgar overboard if he mentioned Victoria's name again. It was almost time for Sig's daily call and Norman was anxious to talk to him. The trip was going faster than they thought which was good news for everyone. Now Sig would probably have more time to get the boat overhauled. The SAT phone rang and Norman answered.

"Hey Sig" he said.

"Norman, how goes it" asked Sig. Norman filled Sig in on the progress. Sig was thrilled that the trip was such a success and looked forward to getting the Northwestern into dry dock earlier than expected.

"So what did you do today?" asked Norman.

"I judged a chili contest. Which I will never do again, I've worn the carpet away from the den to the bathroom" replied Sig.

"Sounds like fun" said Norman.

"Victoria asked about you, she wanted me to tell you and the rest of the guys to have a good trip" said Sig.

"Thanks Sig, I have to go" said Norman.

"She mentioned your name specifically" said Sig.

"Bye" said Norman hanging up the phone. Norman sat in the wheelhouse for a few minutes digesting what Sig had told him before Edgar interrupted his train of thought.

"How's Sig?" asked Edgar.

"He has chili's revenge after judging a chili contest today" said Norman with a laugh.

"Nice, did he see Victoria" asked Edgar. Norman gave Edgar a warning look before answering.

"Yes, she wishes all of us a good trip" said Norman.

"She's so nice. It's too bad you are such an ass to her" said Edgar.

"Seriously Edgar, if you don't drop this I will throw you overboard" said Norman.

"I'm serious Norman, she's a once in a lifetime kind of girl and you are sabotaging your relationship with her for no reason" said Edgar.

"It's just happening to fast" said Norman suddenly. "It's just too much."

"God Norman no one is asking you to marry her, except maybe mom, but you can take as much time as you want. No one is going to force you to move too fast" said Edgar.

"I'll think about it" said Norman.

"Don't wait too long or she won't be there" said Edgar slipping down the stairs.

Victoria awoke to a very excited Phil practically bouncing on her bed. She immediately rolled over and covered her head with a pillow. Phil reached over and pulled the blanket off of her exposing her to the cool morning air. Victoria pulled herself into a tight ball in an attempt to warm up and avoid whatever Phil was going to do next.

"Come on Vicks, it's best to ride in the morning. We can stop for breakfast" said Phil.

"What time is it?" asked Victoria.

"It's early" said Phil.

"How early?" asked Victoria.

"Early enough. Now get up or I'm going to dress you myself and I should warn you that I'm colorblind so you'll probably end up with some weird outfit" explained Phil.

"Fine" said Victoria sitting up. She stood up and grabbed an outfit from her suitcase before slipping into the bathroom. Taking a quick shower, she got dressed and emerged from the bathroom slightly surprised to see Phil still sitting on the bed.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't go back to sleep" said Phil at her questioning look. Victoria slipped into a pair of shoes and followed Phil outside. Phil helped Victoria onto the bike seat and climbed on in front of her.

"Hold on tight" he said as the engine roared to life. Victoria's arms tightened around Phil's waist as they pulled out of the driveway. Winding through the hilly roads Victoria looked out at all the scenery zooming past them. Phil finally stopped at a small diner, he gently unclasped Victoria's hands from around his waist and picked her up off the bike.

"That was so cool" she said with a gleaming smile.

"Good. You up for some breakfast, this place has great pancakes" said Phil.

"Sounds great, I'm starving" said Victoria. Phil and Victoria ate a hearty breakfast before getting back on the bike and riding around for the next few hours. By the time they got home it was almost time for lunch.

Jake and Josh were sitting on the couch eating leftover spaghetti when Phil and Victoria walked back into the house. The boys noticed that Victoria looked no worse for wear and judging by the smile on her face she clearly enjoyed riding.

"Didn't you guys even heat up the spaghetti?" asked Victoria.

"Why? It's good cold" said Josh.

"If you say so" said Victoria with a small shake of her head. Victoria followed Phil into the kitchen where she helped herself to some fruit and sparkling water. Phil and Victoria sat at the kitchen table and chatted until Victoria announced she had to pack for her flight the next day. Josh came into the kitchen as soon as Victoria went upstairs.

"Hey dad, can I ask you something?" said Josh.

"Sure, what is it?" replied Phil.

"Do you like Victoria?" asked Josh.

"Yes, she's a sweet girl" said Phil. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I want to ask her out but I don't want to compete with you for her" said Josh. Phil was silent, he liked Victoria and pursuing her was fun, but competing with his son would definitely be strange.

"I know you like her" continued Josh. "Because you changed the entire spare room, there are stupid decorative soaps in the bathroom."

"So what if I like her Josh, if you like her you are more than welcome to take her out" said Phil exasperatedly. "Ultimately it's Victoria's decision who she dates."

"Ok, I just didn't want to step on your toes or anything" said Josh with a smile. Phil stood rather abruptly and walked outside to the patio. Josh got up too and went upstairs to ask Victoria out to dinner.

Victoria was in the middle of packing her bag for Indiana when Josh walked into the room and flopped down on the bed causing her neatly piled clothes to tip over. Victoria sighed and started to restack the outfits while giving Josh a questioning look.

"Can we go out to dinner tonight?" asked Josh with a charming smile.

"Why do you want to go out to dinner with me?" asked Victoria suspiciously.

"Because I like you and want to take you out on a date" explained Josh.

"I can't. Because I'm still technically working. Maybe we can do it after the Vegas trip, if you still feel the same way." said Victoria.

"Still working?" asked Josh.

"Yes, for deadliest catch. I don't want to get in trouble" said Victoria.

"Ok, but when you're done with being the deadliest catch assistant we will be going on a date" said Josh.

"Deal" said Victoria her voice masking her relief. She quickly finished packing her suitcase and sent a few text messages to Andy and Jonathon double checking the plans for tomorrow. She received a text back from Andy saying he would pick her up from the airport and informing her that Jonathon was already at the ranch. Victoria spent the rest of the evening with Phil and the boys before going to bed early. Phil drove her to the airport the next morning and she was off to Indiana.

Andy picked her up at the airport as promised and before she knew it she was standing in the entryway of a beautiful ranch house meeting Andy and his family. Andy showed her to her room which was directly across from his daughters room. Elizabeth, Andy's daughter, immediately took Victoria out to show her the horses. Coaxing Victoria to ride Elizabeth picked out the most gentle mare on the ranch. Victoria, Elizabeth and Andy rode around the property. Andy pointed out all the sights and Victoria enjoyed the fresh air and beautiful scenery. They trotted up to the barn a few hours later ready for dinner. Jonathon met them at the barn and helped Victoria off the horse.

"You have fun?" he asked.

"Yes, I'd love to have a horse" said Victoria.

"Yeah, well where would you keep it?" asked Jonathon.

"I don't know. I can't even have a fish because I'm not home often enough to feed it. Perhaps a horse would be a little too much of a responsibility for me" said Victoria.

"How about I make you a drink so you can drown your sorrows about not getting a horse" said Jonathon leading Victoria towards the house. The group sat around after dinner chatting about the summer and Elizabeth's next year at school. The conversation was completely harmless until Andy asked her about Norman.

"I haven't talked to him" said Victoria trying to keep the emotion out of her voice.

"Not at all?" asked Jonathon.

"Well, I said hi and wished him good luck on the trip at Edgar's barbeque" said Victoria. "But that's it."

"Wow. You need to do something huge to win him back" said Andy.

"What? Andy you are crazy, that guy should be getting down on his hands and knees and begging her to come back to him" said Andy's wife. This set off a debate that Victoria had no desire to witness, she slipped away with Elizabeth back upstairs.

"Do you really like Norman?" asked Elizabeth as she and Victoria sat on her bed.

"Yes. But he really hurt my feelings" said Victoria. "So I'm hesitant to give him another chance."

"Well, if you really like him you should forgive him" said Elizabeth.

"I guess I'll have to decide if I really like him" said Victoria. "Good night." Victoria walked back into her own room and went to bed.

The meet and greets were a snap and before Victoria knew it her week with Andy and Jonathon had come to a close. Victoria had ridden everyday sometimes more than once, Elizabeth told her that she was a great rider and that she should move closer so they could ride together. Victoria told her the idea was very tempting, but she still had a job to do. She said goodbye to Andy and Jonathon at the airport and boarded the plane back to Seattle. Jake picked her up at the airport explaining that he won a bet and picking her up was the prize. Victoria smiled and sat back as Jake zipped through traffic winding his way back to Phil's house.

The rest of Victoria's time in Seattle passed quickly with her flitting from event to event. Phil grand marshaled a boat parade, Sig had a special beer named after the Northwestern revealed and a lot of other events. Victoria's last event of the summer was a trip to Vegas with Phil and the boys to pick a new greenhorn. While this was the last event of the summer Victoria imagined that it was going to be the most challenging. The casino told Victoria they were going to have an open casting call and they expected a large turnout. Victoria had made the reservations at a different hotel just in case people decided that meeting the guys before or after the interviewing would be a good way to get hired. Phil and the boys had given her a list of qualifications that they would look for in a greenhorn, the list was almost 2 pages. Victoria managed to condense it down to a page and would give one to each of the guys for every interview. She was going to sit in on the interviews and take notes at Phil's request. Although Victoria didn't mind working while she was in Vegas she had hoped to spend the day spending her hard earned money in the casino. With all the plans set she took an afternoon to go get her hair died and her nails done. Deciding she didn't want to go alone she called Louise and asked her if she wanted to join her.

Victoria pulled up at Louise's house and was surprised when Edgar answered the door. She had no idea the guys were home from the trip. Her heart stung slightly at the thought that no one had told her they were back.

"Elf, I've missed you" said Edgar giving her a hug. "We just got back last night, Sig was going to call you but it was really late."

"Did everyone make it back in one piece?" asked Victoria.

"Yep, no one got anything more serious than blisters" said Edgar. "Come in, Louise is almost ready." Victoria walked into the house and was immediately accosted by Andrew. She played a few games of hide and seek with him before Louise announced she was ready to go. Victoria told Andrew she'd see him later and walked out the door. At the spa Louise and Victoria had their manicures and pedicures before Victoria sat down in the chair to get her hair done.

"So Victoria, how has it been living with Phil?" asked Louise.

"It's been nice, although I've been smoking and drinking way too much" said Victoria with a smile.

"Have the boys been around?" asked Louise.

"Yes, they've basically been living there since I arrived" said Victoria.

"What about Norman?" said Louise.

"I still like him, but I think he's given up on me" said Victoria her voice tinged with sadness.

"What did he say when you told him you were going to stay with Phil?" asked Louise.

"I haven't spoken to him about it. In fact I haven't talked to him since I said hi to him at your party" admitted Victoria.

"Wow, I would have thought you'd call the boat just to check on him" said Louise.

"I didn't. I guess I'm still mad at him for calling me a slut" said Victoria.

"I admit that what he said was awful, but you can't throw away a relationship because of one insult" said Louise. Victoria didn't respond, she didn't know if she wanted to be with anyone who would call her names. Louise seemed to sense her thoughts and laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"They often say things they don't mean" she said quietly. "At least explain what happened and let him explain why he said what he did."

"I suppose that's only fair" said Victoria.

Victoria and Louise pulled up to the house and Louise insisted she come in to see the kids. Victoria declined saying she still had stuff to do before she left for Vegas in the morning. Louise tried her best to convince Victoria to come in, plying her with the promise of wine, dinner and more girl talk. Victoria however was firm and Louise finally gave her a small hug and got out of the car. Victoria drove back to Phil's house completely unaware she'd just missed a golden opportunity to talk to Norman. Louise walked into the house and found Edgar and Norman sitting in the kitchen.

"Where's Elf?" asked Edgar.

"She had to go, lots of stuff to do for Vegas" said Louise. "I guess I'm losing my persuasive touch."

"It's fine" said Norman. He tamped down his disappointment, after all Victoria would be back in a few days and he would talk to her then.

"So what did you guys talk about?" asked Edgar.

"How good Norman is in bed" replied Louise without missing a beat. Norman and Edgar's mouths dropped open in surprise as they watched Louise walk out of the room effectively avoiding all follow up questions.

"You don't think they really did" said Norman.

"Who knows" said Edgar. Norman just dropped his head to the table with a thud.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: A huge chapter before I go on vacation. I'm not sure when I will update again. Just a reminder that this is just a work of fiction, don't take anything too seriously.

Phil, Jake, Josh and Victoria all piled into the hired car the next morning. Victoria typed on her computer the whole way to the airport trying to finalize the interview card. She sent an email to Tony saying she was leaving for Vegas and would email him with the hotel information once she got checked in. Phil watched Victoria and Josh to see if there was any chemistry between them, he still planned on pursuing Victoria regardless. Once on the plane Victoria sat next to Phil reading excerpts of Star magazine to him until he threatened her with bodily harm. She spent the rest of the flight quietly listening to her ipod. Victoria had big plans for this Vegas trip, she knew that Jonathon was planning on joining them the day after the interviews and she was going to exact her revenge for the duct tape incident. Landing at McCarran Airport the group got into the limo and rode to the hotel. "Really Victoria?" asked Phil as they pulled into Treasure Island.

"It's a nice hotel and I thought you guys would be at home because there is a boat out front" said Victoria with a smile.

"Very clever" said Josh. The limo dropped them off and the concierge immediately whisked them into VIP check in. They were given two sets of adjoining rooms directly across the hall from each other. Josh immediately opened the door between his and Victoria's room.

"It's like we're roommates" he said with a smile. Victoria looked up from her computer and smiled indulgently at Josh. There was a knock at the door and Josh went over to answer it. Jake and Phil walked into the room and settled on Victoria's bed.

"Vicks, did you see the TV yet?" asked Jake.

"No, what's so special about it?" asked Victoria. Jake hit a button on the remote and the TV rose up from a trunk at the foot of the bed.

"Wow, that is very cool" said Victoria.

"Are you ready to do a little gambling?" asked Phil.

"Yes!" said Victoria closing her laptop and setting it aside.

Down in the casino Phil, Josh and Jake realized that this was not Victoria's first trip to Vegas. In fact it could be said that she was some what of a pro when it came to gambling in general. Victoria walked up to the craps table, dropped $200 on the felt and proceeded to roll the dice like a seasoned professional. Josh and Jake just watched as Victoria and their dad played craps for the next hour. The chips in front of Victoria's started to grow and when she finally walked away from the table Phil was $200 lighter and she had probably made a weeks worth of salary in an hour.

"Victoria, does it say professional gambler on your resume?" asked Josh.

"No, but I love to gamble" said Victoria. "What do you want to do next because I love it all."

"I need a drink" said Phil walking towards the bar. Victoria and the boys followed and took the seats next to Phil. Victoria slipped a twenty into the machine and ordered a Grey Goose martini dirty. The bartender gave her a flirty look and poured her drink. Jake and Josh wondered what the hell was going on.

"So Vixen, I haven't seen you around lately" said the bartender, who's nametag read Steve.

"I haven't been here in a while, new job and all" replied Victoria.

"No more Hollywood big shots for you?" asked Steve.

"Nope, now I'm working for these guys" said Victoria pointing towards Phil, Jake and Josh.

"Hello gentlemen, what can I get for you" asked Steve. The guys ordered their drinks all with top shelf alcohol. Steve delivered the drinks then turned his attention back to Victoria.

"Vixen, how long will you be here?" asked Steve.

"A couple of days or so" answered Victoria barely tearing her eyes away from the screen.

"Don't win the jackpot, I'll never be able to explain it to the suits" said Steve.

"How have you been? How's Daniel?" asked Victoria.

"I've been good, it's the same shit different day here. Daniel is wonderful, I can't wait to tell him that I ran into you. Maybe we can get together for a drink or something" said Steve.

"Give me your number or wait I probably still have it" said Victoria pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. "Yep, right here." Victoria showed Steve her phone and he confirmed that the number was still the same.

"I have to work tomorrow, probably all day, but maybe I'll call you when I'm done" said Victoria.

"Sounds good, you want another one?" Steve asked pointing to her drink.

"Don't I always" said Victoria.

"Always" said Steve. He brought another round of drinks for everyone then was called over by another customer.

"Who is that guy?" asked Josh.

"He's just a bartender. I met him when I use to come with my old boss. He's really nice and his boyfriend Daniel is hysterical" said Victoria. The only word the guys picked up on was boyfriend and suddenly Steve wasn't a threat at all. Finishing their drinks the group decided to move on, Victoria gave Steve a kiss on the cheek and quickly caught up with the guys.

Later that evening Victoria, Phil, Jake and Josh sat in the front row watching Cirque du Soleil. Victoria avidly watched loving every single minute of the show. Phil, Jake and Josh enjoyed most of it, although they all cringed at the guys tight costumes and the entire strongman section. After the show was over Victoria convinced them that going to a club was absolutely necessary. The last thing Phil wanted to do was go to a club with a bunch of people his kids age, however when Victoria knocked on his door wearing a dress that seemed to be held to her by magic he suddenly changed his mind.

"You can't wear that" said Victoria pushing Phil into his room. Going into his suitcase she pulled out some black pants and a black shirt. Phil didn't even remember bringing these clothes but obediently went into the bathroom to change. When he emerged in the new outfit he saw that Jake and Josh were there admiring Victoria's dress.

"It's my Vegas dress and shoes" said Victoria doing a little twirl. The shoes in question were silver glitter shoes and resembled something Phil had seen a few times in strip clubs.

"Which club are you taking us to?" asked Jake.

"Pure. It's in Caesars Palace. It's awesome and you are all going to love it. I got us into VIP" said Victoria with a smile.

"Lets go then" said Josh grabbing Victoria by the hand. Victoria grabbed her purse and let Josh pull her out the door. The group walked down to the lobby and Phil noticed how many people were starting to recognize them. The group was stopped for a few autograph's on the way to the taxi stand and a few more once they arrived at Caesars Palace.

Jake, Josh and Phil followed Victoria up to the VIP line and watched as she signaled the bouncer over showed him something on her phone. He immediately opened the rope and signaled one of the other security guards over to the rope. Then the original security guard led them up to the VIP area.

"I just wanted to tell you guys I love your show" said the security guy. "If you need anything tonight, let the waitress know and I'll hook you up."

"Thank man, it's always nice to meet a fan" said Phil shaking the guy's hand. Victoria looked over the balcony down to the pulsing crowd below. The waitress appeared and set down a bottle of complimentary champagne before taking the groups drink orders. Victoria asked for a bottle of Grey Goose and red bull, tonic water and orange juice as mixers. Phil added cranberry juice onto the list of mixers. The waitress was back in a moment with the drinks. Victoria quickly poured the drinks and proposed a toast.

"To finding a great greenhorn" said Victoria.

"Great and greenhorn is an oxymoron" said Josh. Victoria sipped on her drink, starting to sway with the music as she stood at the railing and watched the crowd. Josh walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist and swayed with her.

"Lets go dance" he whispered into her ear.

"Ok" said Victoria with a smile. Phil frowned as Josh and Victoria walked through the curtain and down the stairs to the dance floor.

"If you like her then you should tell her" said Jake.

"When I need your opinion I will ask you for it and I do not need it" replied Phil downing his drink. Phil stood up and walked to the railing easily spotting Victoria and Josh in the crowd. He watched as the two danced with each other fascinated by Victoria's grace and the effortless way she lost herself in the music. Phil smiled because each time Josh grabbed Victoria around the waist she deftly moved away from his embrace. After quite a few songs Victoria and Josh rejoined Phil and Jake in the VIP suite. Phil handed Victoria a drink and she quickly downed it. She had a light sheen of sweat on her from dancing so she sat down and blotted herself with a napkin before reaching into her bag and pulling out her phone.

"Vicks, can't you go one night without that phone" said Phil.

"I'm just seeing what time it is, we do have interviews tomorrow" said Victoria. "But according to the phone the night is still somewhat young."

"Good, because I want to dance with you" said Jake.

"Can we dance up here or do you just want to use me to get other girls?" asked Victoria.

"We can dance up here if you want" said Jake. Victoria and Jake danced at the railing for a few songs before sitting down and finishing their drinks. When bottle was gone they were all ready to do a little more gambling before calling it a night. Phil asked the waitress for the bill and she told him that it was all taken care of. He handed her a $100 and told her to thank whoever took care of it for them.

The group walked through the casino floor before stopping at a blackjack table and sitting down. All four of them put down $200 to play. They were quickly joined by a few catch fans who spent more time asking all about the show then paying attention to what they were doing. Victoria watched as the two guys put down more and more money just to stay seated next to Phil.

"Lady has 21" said the dealer. Victoria beamed at her luck and quickly tossed the dealer a $5 chip.

"For you" she said with a smile. The dealer smiled back and signaled the pit boss over.

"The lady is quite the lucky one tonight, but I think the table could use another round of drinks" said the dealer. The pit boss disappeared and soon the cocktail waitress had appeared with drinks.

"Wow, Phil. Is this your wife?" asked one of the fans.

"Not yet" replied Phil. Victoria's head snapped around and she sent Phil a glare before turning back to her cards. "Actually guys she's the deadliest catch assistant."

"What a cool job" said the same guy.

"I guess" said Victoria.

"Oh Vicks, you know you love it" said Josh. Victoria just shrugged and went back to paying attention to the game.

"Well she's certainly pretty to look at" said the guy.

"Yes, she's also the consummate professional" said Phil his voice growing slightly colder.

"Man, if she was my assistant I would be tapping that ass all day" said the guy oblivious to the change in attitude at the table.

"Alright man, that's enough. If you can't respect the lady then we can't hang with you" said Phil.

"You've tapped that right?" asked the guy. Victoria pushed her chips forward and asked to cash out. The dealer quickly handed over her chips and Victoria stood up. Jake and Josh quickly followed her lead and also asked the dealer to cash Phil out at the same time. The dealer understood what was going on and quickly motioned the pit boss over just in case there was trouble.

"Are you stupid? I told you to respect the lady" said Phil, his voice rising.

"What kind of a lady wears a get up like that? Please Phil don't tell me your serious about this" said the guy. Victoria looked at the guy and noticed that he had a tan on his ring finger.

"Oh my God is that your wife?" said Victoria. The guy was up and out of the seat faster than she expected.

"Oh shit, lets go man" the guy said to his friend grabbing his chips.

"Well Miss you probably just saved us from breaking up a fight" said the pit boss.

"I didn't want the guy to get hurt" said Victoria rubbing Phil's arm.

"He would have gotten seriously hurt" muttered Phil.

"Thanks for defending my honor" said Victoria placing a kiss on Phil's cheek.

"Always" said Phil. Victoria walked to the cages and cashed in her chips smiling as she put another $500 in her purse.

Back in her room Victoria took a shower and washed her hair. She was almost finished when she heard someone open the bathroom door. She froze immediately thinking she was about to be killed just like Janet Leigh in Psycho.

"Victoria, do you have anything for a headache" asked Josh.

"Yes, in the make up bag, in the Advil bottle" replied Victoria.

"Can I take one of these prescription ones?" asked Josh.

"Not unless you want to wake up dead tomorrow. None of those medicines are ok to take while drinking" said Victoria.

"Does this mean that you aren't going to be taking any of your mood altering drugs? Should we be concerned for your mental stability?" asked Josh.

"I haven't taken any of the medicines since I went on the Cornelia Marie, with the exception of the duct tape incident" said Victoria.

"Really? Why do you still have them all?" asked Josh.

"I don't know. I suppose just in case" said Victoria. She reached a hand out of the shower, grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her before stepping out.

"Did you find what you wanted?" asked Victoria.

"Yes. Do you want me to leave you some for tomorrow morning?" asked Josh.

"How many are you going to take?" asked Victoria.

"A handful I guess" said Josh.

"Well leave me 4" said Victoria. Josh set 4 Advil in one of the bathroom cups and walked back into his room. Victoria finished drying off, changed into her pajamas and set her alarms. She decided to make a quick check of all the guys.

She walked through to Josh's room, he was lying on the bed in just boxers watching the porn previews on the TV. His face lit up as she entered the room and he patted the bed next to him.

"I just came in to ask you if you want a wake up call or breakfast before we leave tomorrow?" asked Victoria.

"I think it would help me to be on time if you just slept with me" said Josh.

"I don't think so" said Victoria. "Although the offer is very tempting." Josh pouted for a minute before smiling.

"That's ok, this is the last job for you and then our date." Victoria just smiled and walked out the door to check on Jake. Jake answered the door already looking slightly mussed from sleep.

"Sorry to wake you up" said Victoria. "I just wanted to know if you wanted me to wake you up tomorrow for the interviews."

"Yeah, just wake me up a little while before we leave. I'll get ready fast" said Jake.

"Can I get to your dad's room through your door?" asked Victoria.

"Yeah, come on in" said Jake. Victoria walked into the room and immediately stubbed her toe on one of Jake's shoes.

"Damn it" said Victoria.

"Sorry. Watch out for all the stuff on the floor" said Jake with a little laugh.

"I would if I could see in the dark" said Victoria. She made it to the adjoining room door and gave it a light tap.

"Come in" said Phil's voice. Victoria walked in to find Phil's room still illuminated, he was sitting in bed glasses perched on the end of his nose reading through the qualities sheet Victoria had made up.

"Hey Vicks, come to tuck me in?" asked Phil.

"Yes. And to ask if you wanted me to wake you up in the morning" said Victoria.

"That's fine, are you just going to call or something?" asked Phil.

"I'll call, what time?" asked Victoria.

"An hour before we have to leave" said Phil.

"Roger" said Victoria turning around.

"Hey, I thought you were going to tuck me in" said Phil. Victoria turned around and walked over to the bed, making a huge production of tucking the blankets around Phil. She went to drop of kiss on his cheek but he turned at the last minute so Victoria kissed him softly on the lips.

"Tricky tricky" said Victoria. Phil just smiled and went back to reading. Victoria walked across the hall to her room and slipped into bed.

The alarm went off and Victoria sighed before turning it off and getting up. She ordered herself breakfast from room service making sure to ask for extra coffee and cups. The Gold Coast was going to have breakfast for them but she needed to eat something now and she knew the guys would need coffee. She walked into the bathroom and was horrified when she looked in the mirror. Her hair was very curly and sticking out in all directions. Victoria debated taking another shower to rewash her hair but she didn't want to miss hearing room service. She decided to just pull her hair back in a ponytail and be done with it. Room service knocked a moment later and Victoria eagerly dug into her breakfast. She called Phil a few minutes later to wake him up.

"Good morning Phil" said Victoria. "I have some coffee over here for you."

"Ok Victoria, I'm getting up and I'll see you in a little while" said Phil sleepily. Victoria went back to her computer and was mildly surprised when Josh appeared fully dressed in her room.

"I smelled coffee and it instantly woke me up" said Josh.

"Help yourself" said Victoria turning back to her computer.

"Are you going to finish your breakfast?" asked Josh.

"You can have it if you want some, there will be breakfast at the interviews" said Victoria. Josh dug in immediately and soon the entire plate was empty. Phil was the next to arrive and helped himself to a cup of coffee before sitting in one of the chairs in the room.

"Two down one to go" said Victoria.

"Good luck getting Jake up, he's a monster in the morning" said Phil.

"Great" said Victoria. She grabbed Phil's room key and entered Jake's room through the connecting door. The room was still pitch black and Jake was still in bed. Victoria walked over to the side of the bed and ran her fingers through Jake's messy hair.

"It's time to get up" said Victoria. She received no response so she pulled the blanket back in an effort to expose Jake to the cold room air. She was not prepared for a very topless and very aroused Jake. Victoria fought the urge to recover him, he needed to get up so they wouldn't be late. Victoria shook his shoulder slightly and was rewarded by a small grunt.

"Come on Jake it's time to get up" said Victoria sternly. Jake reached over and grabbed her rolling them both over so he was on top of her. The he collapsed on top of her firmly pinning her to the bed. Victoria fought back her feeling of panic and turned it into righteous indignation.

"Jake, get the hell off me. I already did my hair" said Victoria.

"Make me" said Jake his breath tickling Victoria's neck. Victoria raked her nails along his sides. "Ooh, that feels good Victoria, do it again."

"Just get up" said Victoria trying to wiggle out from under him.

"Part of me is already up" said Jake grinding is erection into Victoria's abdomen.

"Jake, if you don't get off of me right now none of you will be getting up again ever" said Victoria.

"I'm soooo scared" said Jake. "Besides I like seeing you like this, you look very sexy pinned to a bed." Victoria decided that the time for discussion had passed and she was going to have to kick Jake's ass. Unfortunately all the struggling in the world would not dislodge Jake from her person. He just laughed and laughed until Victoria finally kneed him in the back.

"Hey that hurt" said Jake. His attention was off just enough for Victoria to knock him off of her.

"You are so dead" said Victoria punching him hard in the stomach.

"Ouch" said Jake. "Victoria we don't have time for this we're going to be late." Victoria foolishly looked at the clock and Jake used her moment of inattention to tackled her. "Never turn your back on an opponent."

"Jake, we are going to be late, get off me and get dressed" said Victoria.

"I want you to give me something first" said Jake.

"What do you want?" asked Victoria suspiciously.

"Hmm, what would a guy like first thing in the morning?" asked Jake.

"If you put anything in my mouth you can guarantee it's going to be bitten off" said Victoria.

"Jake, what are you doing?" roared Phil from the doorway.

"I'm just playing with Victoria" said Jake climbing off of her.

"Phil, you should have stopped at one son" spat Victoria sitting up.

"Whoa Victoria, what happened to your hair" said Josh walking into the room. Victoria's hand drifted to the top of her head and she felt her hair. It had gotten frizzier and significantly bigger. She got up and pushed Jake hard enough to knock him over and she stalked out of the room.

Phil, Jake and Josh were sitting at a table in front of a lone chair holding another guy attempting to be the next Cornelia Marie greenhorn. Victoria was sitting off to the side with a stack of papers in front of her. When they'd walked into the hotel the line for the interviews was already stretching into the casino floor. Victoria realized that the 1000 copies she made of the qualities sheet was not going to be enough. Each person would be given a chance to interview and Phil, Jake and Josh would mark down what qualities they thought each person had. Then Victoria would tally up the scores, then put them in order with the highest score on top. Basically the person with the highest score would get the job, or at least that's what Victoria assumed. She was so tired of listening to people gush about how much they loved the show and how great captain Phil was. Her personal favorites were the girls who came in just to try to meet the guys, the most brash girl had her phone number printed on her shirt. By the time lunch rolled around Victoria was loosing interest in the whole interviewing process. She ate quickly and then went to the business center to make more copies of the qualities sheet. When she got back she saw that her chair had been moved to the table.

"Why did you move my chair?" asked Victoria.

"We just want you to be closer to us" said Phil.

"Fine" said Victoria taking her seat. She passed three packs of cigarettes down the table along with stacks of the qualities sheet.

"Who's the leader so far?" asked Phil.

"Rory" said Victoria.

"I wonder what the afternoon group will be like?" mused Josh.

"Yeah, I wonder if there will be any topless girls" said Jake with a hopeful smile.

"I'm sure there will be at least one" said Victoria. The afternoon interviews started and a few hours in Victoria had completely checked out until Mark interviewed. He came into the room and sat down in the chair. Then he proceeded to ask all about Victoria, completely ignoring everyone else in the room. Victoria smiled at him completely confused by his actions. He kept spouting off bad poetry and telling her she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Phil finally cut him off with a thanks for wasting our time and Mark was escorted out of the room. The score sheets for him totaled zero. The rest of the afternoon went along smoothly and Victoria was thrilled after the last interviewee left the room. Her head dropped to the table the second the door closed.

"I need several drinks" said Victoria to the table.

"No kidding, so who's our winner?" asked Phil.

"It's still Rory" said Victoria.

"Lets call him, tell him he's got the job and take him to dinner" said Phil. Victoria pulled out the score sheet on Rory and found his cell number.

"Do you want me to call him?" asked Victoria. "If so where and when are we going out to dinner?"

"Lets call him tomorrow, because I've had enough crab talk for tonight" whined Jake.

"I think little bro is on to something. I'd like to slip into a nice big bottle and stay awhile" said Josh.

"Fine, we'll call him tomorrow and go out to lunch or something" said Phil. Victoria was already tapping the information into her phone before Phil finished speaking. Next she collected all the paperwork and slid it into her notebook.

"I'm ready to hit the bar. Lets get this mother fucking party started" said Victoria standing up.

"You heard the lady" said Phil. The group moved out of the ballroom and immediately encountered most of the interviewees waiting in the staging room. Victoria deftly stepped forward and addressed the group.

"The guys are going to take the evening to consider all the interviews, we have your scores and will get them tallied. The newest Cornelia Marie Greenhorn will be contacted tomorrow. Thank you all for coming" said Victoria. The guys echoed Victoria's sentiments and headed towards the exit. They hopped into a taxi and headed back to the hotel to change for dinner then they were off to the New York New York because after a day like this they wanted a steak dinner.

Phil and the others sat at a nice secluded booth at Gallagher's steakhouse inside the casino. He watched as Victoria drank her third martini and picked at her steak. He thought her food to alcohol ratio was a little unbalanced but he knew she could handle her drinks. Josh and Jake were debating where they should go tonight. Phil had already heard this debate during lunch and he was loath to hear it again. Victoria however was avidly listening hanging on every word uttered by both guys.

"Why are you so interested?" asked Phil.

"Because I think both ideas are good ones and I'm wondering who will win the argument" said Victoria.

"They're brothers, neither will win the argument" said Phil. "You must be an only child."

"You're right I am, I find sibling arguments fascinating" said Victoria.

"You are the only one" said Phil.

"Lets have Victoria decide then" said Jake suddenly.

"Fine" said Josh.

"I think we should do both. Go to the club first and then the strip club" said Victoria. "That way you both win." Neither boy looked very happy about the suggested compromise but eventually they both agreed to her plan.

"I want to go to Studio 54" said Josh.

"I love that place, they have floor shows" said Victoria. She immediately pulled out her phone and called the MGM to secure them a spot on the VIP list.

"She's handy" said Jake. "It's a shame this is our last opportunity to use her skills."

"Well we will have to live it up as much as we can" said Josh with a smirk. The group finished dinner and made their way to the apple bar for a few drinks. The guys wondered if Victoria would know this bartender too, but she didn't. She slipped a bill in the machine and ordered a red bull and vodka. Phil dragged her away from the machine when she lost her first $20. She settled herself at the table and quickly pulled out her phone. She had a text from Jonathon saying he got in a day early and was on his way from the airport to the hotel. Victoria informed the guys then sent a text to Jonathon telling him where they would be.

Jonathon joined them an hour later and by that time everyone in the group was pleasantly buzzed. They walked across the bridge to the MGM Grand hotel. Jonathon wanted to see Victoria's craps playing in action so they walked past Studio 54 and headed to the tables. Victoria, Jonathon and Phil all played together and once again her luck was spectacular. They stayed at the craps table for almost 2 hours before Victoria finally said she wanted to dance. Victoria walked to the club with Jake and Josh while Phil and Jon stayed at the table. They didn't stay there for long because as soon as Victoria stepped away the entire table went stone cold. In fact Victoria and the boys weren't even inside the club when Phil and Jon caught up with them. They went inside together and quickly got settled in the VIP section. They ordered drinks and Victoria immediately sucked hers down and went downstairs to dance. Phil and the others watched her from their vantage point, she danced with everyone around her or by herself she didn't really seem to care. Jonathon was amazed she could actually dance in her heels but she seemed to be doing a pretty fine job he assumed she'd had lots of practice. Victoria came back upstairs a while later and flopped down on the couch next to Jonathon. Phil ordered another drink and handed it to her.

"So Victoria, how was all the interviewing?" asked Jonathon.

"It was long" said Victoria.

"Who was the worst?" asked Jonathon.

"This weird guy who didn't even talk to Phil or the boys, he just flirted with me. It was so bizarre he totally creeped me out" explained Victoria.

"Yeah, that guy was a piece of work" added Phil.

"Any topless ladies?" asked Jon with a smile.

"No. And Victoria promised there would be" said Jake. "She should have to find us some boobs."

"We can go to a strip club if you want" said Victoria.

"I'd rather see yours" said Phil with a smile. Victoria just rolled her eyes and ordered herself another drink. Victoria danced with everyone including Phil and Jonathon. Before she knew it the guys were completely swarmed by excited catch fans and she faded quietly into the background.

Later that evening Victoria fulfilled her promise to the guys and they went to a strip club. By this point they had quite a few additions to their group. In fact Victoria was fairly sure that Jake had kissed at least 5 different girls so far and didn't seem to be slowing anytime soon. They pulled up to Olympic Gardens and got out of the cabs. Victoria walked up to the velvet robe and spoke briefly to the bouncer, soon the whole group was being led in to a table. Phil ordered the table a round of shots and happily sat back as the first dancer hopped up onto the stage. Victoria sat on the edge of the seat watching the girl slowly take off her costume. Victoria wondered if she could sneak upstairs to see the boys, she doubted anyone would miss her at this point because the guys were watching the girl strip and all the girls they were sitting with were trying to get the guys attention. Victoria decided to make her move when Phil grabbed her arm.

"Where do you think you're going Vicks?" he asked.

"You have plenty of entertainment down here and I want to see the boys upstairs" said Victoria.

"You need to take someone with you. I'd hate to loose you" said Phil.

"You couldn't pay me enough to ask any of you to come with me upstairs to see a bunch of guys prance around in g-strings" said Victoria.

"Then you will just have to stay" said Phil.

"Fine" said Victoria with a pout. She sat back and ordered a red bull and vodka from the waitress. When the waitress returned she knelt down next to Victoria and whispered into her ear.

"If you want to get their attention tonight is amateur night, we can get you kitted out and you can dance for the guys" whispered the waitress.

"Seriously? How much would I have to take off?" asked Victoria.

"Your top, but if you want to take off more or less it's completely up to you" said the waitress. It was a wicked idea and Victoria was feeling decidedly wicked. She leaned over to tell Phil she was going to the bathroom and she'd see him in a little while. Then she got up and followed the waitress into the back of the club.

Once inside the tiny dressing room she saw that it was filled with every imaginable costume. The waitress handed her over to a lady who she supposed was the stage manager. The woman took her over to the stack of costumes then looked her over with a critical eye.

"Take off your clothes honey so I can see what size you are" she barked. Victoria decided in for the penny in for the pound and stripped out of her dress.

"You've got quite a sweet little body" said the lady. "Have you ever done any dancing before?"

"I once watched Carmen Electra's exercise video" said Victoria.

"Well that will probably do just fine. Are you doing this for a boyfriend or something?" asked the lady.

"Um no, my bosses on my last official night of work" replied Victoria.

"Well that's certainly one way to go out with a bang" said the lady. "Well you can probably fit in almost any of these, which one do you like?

"Do you have anything nautical?" asked Victoria with a smile.

"I have the perfect thing for you" replied the lady. She walked away leaving Victoria feeling ridiculously exposed in just her thong and bra. However the wait was worth it when the lady returned with a sailor suit complete with sailor bathing suit top and thong. Victoria flatly refused to wear the thong by itself but agreed to slip it over hers. The lady who's name was Ivy helped her attach the other thong over her own. It was a fair bit of work but by the time she was finished it looked perfect. The sailor suit was blue with red trim and included a jaunty little cap. Victoria pulled her hair into pigtails and tied them with red bows. She did a twirl in front of the mirror and immediately started to get nervous.

"I have just what you need" said Ivy and walked away. She walked back over a minute later with a small white pill. "Here sweetie, just take it and you'll feel like you've gone down the rabbit hole without a care in the world." Victoria was skeptical, she didn't really think it was a good idea to take drugs from a strange stripper dresser in Vegas. Ivy looked at her expectantly then pulled Victoria's hand out and dropped the pill into her hand.

"Take it or don't, it's up to you. It's just a little E" said Ivy. Victoria smiled, popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed it. She'd taken ecstasy before with pleasant results. The waitress who brought her inside came up to her suddenly.

"The guys are about to send out a search party for you, so I think you should go out there now" said the waitress. "I brought you a little liquid courage." she said handing Victoria a shot. Victoria knocked back the shot without a second thought and winced as the cheap vodka burned her throat.

"Lets go" said Ivy as she led Victoria out of the room. Victoria realized that she hadn't changed shoes and quickly asked Ivy about the oversight. Ivy just glanced down at Victoria's shoes then back up. Victoria looked down and saw that she was wearing the sparkly silver shoes which clearly passed for stripper shoes. She made a mental note to rethink her Vegas shoes.

Victoria watched the stripper get off the stage and the spotlight go temporarily dim. She saw that all the guys were agitated and that two of the girls were no longer at the table. Ivy walked her over to the stage and gave her a quick shove up the steps.

"Just have fun" said Ivy. Victoria suddenly wanted to change her mind but in an instant the spotlight lit up and the music started. Victoria almost laughed out loud at the song they chose "Slave for you" by Britany Spears, it couldn't have been more perfect. She started to move her hips slowly to the pulsing beat and was practically laughing as the guys took a minute to look up at the stage. She grabbed the poll and leaned back looking upside down at guys. They clearly were not paying attention.

"Hey, I'm not up here for my health, where's the money" yelled Victoria. Jonathon was the first to recognize her and he told Phil, who elbowed Josh who pulled Jake off the girl he was kissing. Victoria smiled at their recognition, if she was going to do this, she better at least get some tips. Victoria pulled the zipper on the little shirt revealing her stripped bikini top underneath. She shrugged the garment down her arms and dropped it off to the side of the stage. The guys were all on the edge of their seats with their fists full of bills. Victoria assumed she would need to take off most of the clothes before she could collect the bills so she decided that the little shorts would have to be next. Sliding them down slightly she showed the very top of the g-string before turning around and letting the pants fall off her hips. Victoria moved to the poll and swung around it a few times before she moved to her knees in front of the guys. She watched as all of them dove forward and strung their perfectly folded bills into her g-string and top. The ecstasy was starting to make the lights fade and blur while making her body temperature rise. She could feel herself enter the space in her head where anything was possible. Standing back up she reached up to the tie at her neck and untied the strings, she stopped the descent of the top just at her nipples. Jake and Josh were hollering for her to take it off and she smiled indulgently and dropped the top another centimeter. She reached behind her and untied the back of the top, now the only thing that was holding it to her was her hand in front. She waited a few beats until she heard the last strains of the song, then she dropped the top and took a bow. Ivy appeared by the side of the stage with a small towel to drape over her topless form. Victoria walked back into the dressing room and changed back into her own clothes. She thanked Ivy profusely for helping her and then she headed back to the table.

Victoria walked up to the table and slipped into the seat next to Jonathon. She was surprised to see that all the girls were now gone. She had been pretty sure some were still there when she danced. Phil grabbed her arm and pulled her so she was sitting in between himself and Jonathon.

"Well Vicks, that was certainly something I never expected to see" he said.

"Did you like it?" Now you can't say I didn't show you some boobs" said Victoria with a smile. Josh watched as Victoria rubbed her hand up and down Phil's arm seemingly fascinated with the feel of it.

"You were so hot" said Jonathon. "Andy is going to be so upset he missed this."

"Oh God, you are going to tell everyone I did this aren't you" said Victoria.

"Tell them, we are going to show them video" said Jake shaking his cell phone.

"Let me see the video" said Victoria crawling over Phil's lap to get to Jake. Josh stopped her on his lap and pulled her towards him purposely rubbing her against the texture of his shirt to gage her reaction. She sighed and pushed herself against Josh's chest. Josh's suspicions were confirmed Victoria was definitely on something. Jake showed her the video of her dancing, it was dark and Victoria couldn't even recognize herself, plus it only got until she took off her shorts because Jake apparently set down the phone to move closer to the stage. Josh ran his hands up Victoria's legs and she opened them wider in a clear invitation. He pushed her legs closed and leaned towards her.

"What are you on?" whispered Josh in her ear.

"Ecstasy" whispered Victoria before rubbing her nose all over Josh's ear.

"Where did you get it?" asked Josh.

"From Ivy" said Victoria before sitting up. Josh considered the possibilities of a very touchy feely Victoria.

"I'm tired of seeing all these boobies" announced Victoria. "I'm ready to go to Dre's." The guys seemed to agree that it was a good idea and paid their tab and left. Before Victoria got to the door Ivy stopped her and handed her a small baggie with ecstasy pills in it.

"For your friends sweetheart" she said with a wink and a smile. Victoria nodded and slid the baggie into her purse.

In the cab on the way to Dre's everyone noticed Victoria's weird behavior. She absolutely could not keep her hands to herself. Her hands flitted over every single piece of exposed skin. Finally Victoria sat up and smiled.

"I have some party favors if you are interested?" she announced.

"Where did you get them?" asked Josh.

"From Ivy, she handed them to me on the way out" said Victoria.

"What exactly is a party favor?" asked Phil. Josh leaned over and told his dad what Victoria was talking about.

"How is it possible that you got some? I let you out of my sight for 5 minutes and you manage to make it onto a stripper stage and score drugs" said Phil. "That's got to be some kind of record." Victoria ran her fingers through Phil's hair and traced his ears with her fingertips in response.

"Is that why she's acting so weird?" Phil asked Josh.

"Yes, it kind of heightens your response to touch" said Josh. To prove his point he ran his fingers through Victoria's hair and watched as she arched her neck and smiled in response.

"I want to try one" said Jake. Victoria handed him one of the little white pills and a bottle of water. Jake swallowed the pill and waited expectantly.

"Do you want one Phil?" asked Victoria.

"No" said Phil.

"Jonathon?" asked Victoria.

"Nope, I'll keep Phil company at the bar" said Jonathon.

"Josh?" asked Victoria.

"Sure, what the hell" said Josh. Victoria passed him a pill and the water. By the time they made it to Dre's Jake was already rolling. Phil and Jonathon didn't let Victoria out of their sight. She walked to the VIP rope and spoke to the bouncer. They were led into a small VIP area and sat down at the table. Jonathon pulled Victoria into his lap and asked her what she wanted to drink.

"Vodka and red bull" replied Victoria.

"Alright party girl" said Jonathon. Victoria slid off Jonathon's lap and into the seat next to Phil.

"Hi Phil, are you having fun?" asked Victoria.

"Yes, are you having fun Vicks?" asked Phil.

"Of course. Vegas is always fun" said Victoria. She ran her fingers up and down Phil's exposed arm tracing the tattoos . Phil watched her wondering if touching her back would be a bad move. Deciding he didn't really care he reached down and rubbed her exposed thigh. Victoria smiled and Phil realized that she was covered in glitter.

"Did they spray you with glitter?" asked Phil and he examined his hand.

"Yes, they said every stripper has glitter on. It was in this really cool spray gun thing. Sorry if you got it on you, I've probably been rubbing it all over you" replied Victoria.

"Maybe I'll just work on rubbing it back onto you" said Phil trailing his fingers up and down her arms.

"That feels wonderful" said Victoria. The moment was broken by Josh and Jake pulling Victoria to her feet.

"We want to dance with you" they chorused. Victoria nodded and followed them to the dance floor.

"You think they are going to be ok down there?" asked Jonathon.

"Hopefully the boys will take care of her" said Phil.

On the dance floor Victoria was sandwiched in between Jake and Josh. They danced until the club closed at 6 am. Of course they took a few breaks, had a little more to drink but in general they danced loving the feeling of rubbing up against each other.

Back at the hotel Phil and Jonathon said goodnight to the trio. Phil gave the boys a quick talking to before they disappeared into Victoria's room. Victoria was sitting on the bed taking off her shoes when the boys walked in.

"What did your dad want to talk to you about?" asked Victoria.

"About making sure to treat you right" said Josh sitting down on the bed next to Victoria.

"Your feet are bloody" said Jake.

"I know it's from the shoes" said Victoria picking up her abused foot to examine it. "I think I should wash it off, so I can see the damage."

"We can help" said Josh solicitously. Victoria walked into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub.

"You should take off your dress" suggested Jake. "So it doesn't get wet."

"Good idea" said Victoria shucking the dress over her head. Jake took it from her hands and hung it on the towel bar. Josh smiled at Victoria's revealed body, although they'd seen it earlier this was in normal night and much more close up. Victoria took sprayer off the bathtub and gingerly turned on the water, she waited until it was good temperature before letting the water sluice over her feet. The blisters were revealed and they certainly looked better once all the blood and dirt was washed off. Victoria swung her feet over the bathtub and wiped her feet off. She was still hot and wondered if it was possible to turn up the a/c in the room even more. Josh shucked off his shirt and tossed it into the corner of the room, the next thing to come off were his pants. He laid himself out on the bed in just boxers. Jake quickly followed suit climbing into the bed on the opposite end from Josh.

"What are you guys doing?" asked Victoria when she finished fiddling with the a/c.

"Getting comfy, come lay down between us" said Josh. Victoria climbed into the bed and leaned back against the pillows. Josh ran his short nails over her ribs then splayed his hand across her stomach. The drug made Josh's touch of her body feel amazing and against her better judgment she didn't move his hand away. Josh leaned over her and kissed her, running his tongue along the seam of her lips Victoria opened her mouth and his tongue slid in tasting her. The kiss looked sexy and sultry and Jake was feeling very left out. He leaned over and placed a few open mouth kisses on Victoria's back before pressing his body against hers. Victoria moaned into Josh's mouth at the contact. Jake felt like he was in heaven, he was surrounded by Victoria, her smell and the feel of her skin. The drugs made every touch seem ridiculously intense. Josh released Victoria's mouth and moved to kiss her neck softly. Jake took the opportunity to turn Victoria's face towards him and kissed her. Victoria immediately opened her mouth allowing her tongue to snake into Jake's mouth. All sense of propriety was forgotten because every touch felt so good. Josh moved lower carefully reaching behind Victoria to unfasten her bra, he pulled it off of her revealing her breasts. Jake's hand reached down and he palmed one of her breasts as Josh's mouth moved down to kiss the other one. Victoria wanted to surrender herself to the feeling but something in the back of her mind wouldn't let her. She thought of Norman and how much she cared for him and she realized that she couldn't do this.

"I can't do this" said Victoria suddenly. Both Jake and Josh sat back as if stung.

"I'm sorry" continued Victoria. "It's just, I like Norman, and yes he's been an ass to me, but doing this as great as it feels would be wrong until I settle things with him. I'm sorry."

Jake got off the bed and retrieved a shirt for Victoria, she slipped it on and turned to Josh. Josh looked disappointed.

"He's a really lucky guy, I hope he appreciates what he's got" said Josh. "If he doesn't you have my number."

"Thanks for understanding" said Victoria. They guys walked out of the room and Victoria settled herself into bed. The drug hadn't worn off but Victoria managed to soothe away the ache between her legs with her fingers imagining Norman the whole time. She still couldn't sleep and finally got out of bed and dressed.

Victoria walked onto the casino floor and quickly parked herself in front of a slot machine. Her plan was to play until she got tired then go back upstairs to sleep. The ecstasy had basically run it's course and while she still felt the occasional pulse it wasn't really negligible. She ordered a vodka tonic from the waitress and casually checked her phone. Deciding that it was probably a good idea to let someone know where she was she sent a text to Jon telling him she was downstairs gambling. She'd just set her phone back in her pocket when a hand grabbed her wrist.

"You look even more lovely then when I saw you yesterday" said a familiar voice. Victoria turned her head and immediately recognized the guy from the interviews.

"Mark" she said.

"You remember my name, how you humble me with your knowledge" said Mark. Victoria was starting to get scared. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

"Oh no my dear, now is not the time for cell phone's" said Mark. Victoria nodded and moved the phone back towards her pocket. However she managed to dial 911 before she put it away. She hoped someone would realize that something was wrong.

"Come with me my Juliet, we have much to prepare for" said Mark.

"I can't, I'm still working" said Victoria.

"Well isn't that ironic" said Mark forcing her to stand. "I went in yesterday hoping to get a job and because of your distracting beauty I didn't get it. I believe that you and I are meant to be."

"You can't be serious, you don't even know my name" spat Victoria.

"I'm very serious, you must believe in love and first sight. You are my true love and if you reject me I will kill you" said Mark his voice cold as ice. Victoria attempted to pull away from him but he held her tight. In the impending struggle Victoria dropped her phone. Mark pulled her towards the bank of elevators and they ascended completely unnoticed by everyone.

Inside the hotel room Mark took Victoria's purse and set it on the table. Then he zip tied her hands together before duct taping her to a chair. Victoria was in shock, not only was she once again tied up with duct tape this time it wasn't a joke, no one was going to be able to rescue her. She felt her panic rise and she tried desperately to regulate her breathing.

"What's wrong Juliet?" asked Mark.

"Why do you call me that?" asked Victoria between gulps of air.

"Because I'm your Romeo, we are star crossed lovers" said Mark. Victoria couldn't keep the look of horror from crossing her face.

"Don't look at me like that, I loved you from the first second I saw you. You are insulting my love" he yelled. Then he backhanded Victoria across the cheek. Victoria had never been hit in her life, not by parents, not in a fight, never and the feeling was horrible but something in her snapped and she shrieked. Her screams shocked Mark and for a moment he just stood still. Victoria eventually ran out of breath and stopped yelling. Mark grabbed a sock and stuffed it into her mouth. Victoria tried to spit it out but he quickly secured it with a piece of duct tape.

"No more of that Juliet, or you will be taking your poison before you know it" said Mark sneeringly.

Downstairs the security guards had found Victoria's phone on the floor and discovered that it had indeed placed a 911 call that morning. They reviewed the security tapes and watched what seemed to be an abduction. Victoria was already well known around the casino and a few of the security guards recognized her. Deciding it would be best to contact her associates to confirm if she was with them and the tape was just an altercation between friends. The phone rang in Phil's room and he rolled over and answered it with a gruff hello.

"Mr. Harris, this is G from Treasure Island security. I have Victoria's phone down here, we found it on the casino floor. She placed a 911 call and it looks like she may have had an altercation with someone this morning. Is she with you?" asked the voice on the phone.

"Let me check" said Phil. He shot out of bed and opened the door to Jake's room.

"Jake, get up! Where's Victoria?" shouted Phil.

"She's probably in her room" said Jake. Phil walked across the hall and banged on Josh's door until he opened it.

"Morning dad" said Josh as Phil rushed past him into Victoria's room. It was empty. Phil ran back to his room barking at Josh to get dressed.

"She's not in her room" said Phil into the phone, slightly out of breath.

"Can you come down to the security office to see if you can identify the man with her on the tape" said G.

"We will be right down" said Phil. He hung up the phone and quickly dressed. Jake and Josh appeared in the room and Phil updated them on what happened. On the way down to the security office Phil called Jonathon and told him what was going on. Jonathon told Phil he'd gotten a text from Victoria telling him she was downstairs gambling.

Inside the security office Phil, Jake and Josh watched the tape of the guy pulling on Victoria. The all recognized him immediately.

"His name is Mark, he interviewed with us yesterday at the Gold Coast" said Phil. Josh detailed the interview for the security guards.

"Sounds like he could be trouble" said one of the guards.

"He took her into the elevator banks" announced a guard just entering the room. "He has her somewhere in the hotel."

Suddenly everyone mobilized, more video was watched and Phil and the boys were quickly escorted out of the room. G the head of security gave Phil Victoria's phone.

"Just in case she calls it" he said by way of explanation. Phil, Jake and Josh returned to their rooms. All three felt sick that they'd completely failed to protect Victoria. They sat in Phil's room waiting for word from security.

"I think we should do something" said Jake.

"What can we do?" asked Phil.

"I hope she's ok" said Josh.

In Seattle Norman was sitting in his study spinning the globe Victoria had bought for him. He'd had a long talk with Sig regarding Victoria and he was still mulling over everything he'd been told. It seems that Victoria missed him terribly and asked after him every time she saw or talked to Sig. She asked about his health, his welfare, how the fishing was going and if he was happy. The last revelation was the part that took him by surprise because it wasn't something that someone who was sleeping around would probably ask. He'd promised Sig that he would call Victoria sooner than later. She was on her last job as the deadliest catch assistant and no one was sure if her contract would be extended or if the job would be moot after the promotional tour was over. Norman was torn about how he felt about her continuing on as the assistant, he'd rather have her all to himself but if the only way she could or would stay is if the job continued then he was willing to share her. Getting up he walked into the kitchen to check Victoria's schedule, he decided that he needed to tell her how he felt in person. Picking up his cell he went upstairs to pack a bag.

"Edgar, I need a ride to the airport" said Norman the second Edgar picked up his cell.

"Where are you going?" asked Edgar.

"Vegas, to see Victoria. To tell her how I feel" said Norman.

"Right on, I'll pick you up in an hour" said Edgar. Norman hung up the phone and turned back to packing. By tonight Victoria would know exactly how he felt about her. Norman touched down in Vegas a few hours later. He dialed Victoria's cell number as he walked towards the taxi stand.

"Victoria?" said the male voice on the phone. Norman took a deep breath mentally telling himself to get the explanation first.

"No, it's Norman. Where's Victoria?" asked Norman.

"Norman, it's Phil. She's been taken by some nutcase. Where are you?" said Phil.

"I just got to Vegas. I wanted to surprise Victoria" said Norman.

"We are at Treasure Island, room 1522" said Phil.

"I'll be there as soon as I can" said Norman. Suddenly telling Victoria how he felt took on a new level of urgency.

Mark paced back and forth in front of Victoria's chair. He'd been ranting and raving nonstop since she screamed. He'd hit her twice before starting to pace. Victoria looked at the clock and saw that she'd been here for hours, he must love the sound of his own voice she thought.

"I think we are meant to be, don't you?" he asked. Victoria just shrugged her shoulders. Mark walked up to her and bent down so his face was directly in front of hers. He leaned forward and licked her cheek. Victoria leaned her head back then head butted him as hard as she could. Mark stumbled backwards eventually falling backwards and hitting his head on the edge of the table. Victoria couldn't believe her luck, her head was spinning but she fought against the darkness that threatened to encompass her. This would probably be her only chance to escape and she would not waste it. She spent the next few hours trying to free herself from her bonds. She finally managed to get one of her hands out of the zip tie. Her wrists were bloody but at least her hands were free and not a moment too soon. Mark was starting to come around and Victoria knew that she would need to finishing getting herself out of the chair. Moving quickly she pried the gag out of her mouth and struggled to get the duct tape off of her legs. By the time she was done she saw that Mark was starting to moan. Victoria snapped into action quickly reaching into her purse and pulling out a Valium. She leaned over Mark and slipped the tablet under his tongue, it would dissolve almost instantly and hopefully keep him incapacitated long enough for her to escape. Victoria grabbed her stuff and fled the room.

Norman, Phil, Jake and Josh all sat together in Phil's room. They were getting regular updates from the security staff of the hotel, but they were still climbing the walls worrying about Victoria. Norman held Victoria's phone slowly turning it over in his hand. He wondered if he'd ever see her again, if he'd ever be able to tell her how much he loved her.

"She really cares about you" said Josh as he sat down next to Norman. Norman gave Josh a questioning look. "Trust me she does" was all Josh said in response.

"What's the deal are you two an item?" asked Phil. Norman explained how Victoria had stayed with him at his home and told the guys how he'd made some terrible mistakes with her.

"You are a lucky man if she takes you back" said Phil. "She's an amazing girl."

"Yeah, she really is" said Norman. "I hope I get the opportunity to tell her how I feel about her." They heard a tentative knock at the door and Josh went to answer it. There standing in the hallway was a bruised and battered Victoria.

"Oh my God Victoria" said Josh. At his announcement all the guys stood up and moved towards the door. Victoria walked into the room and her eyes drifted from face to face until it reached Norman's. Her eyes widened slightly and she took off in a full run and jumped into his arms. Norman deftly caught her clutching her tightly to his chest. Victoria wrapped her legs around him and held on for dear life.

"I love you" said Norman into her hair.

"I love you too" said Victoria into his shoulder, then the flood gates opened and she started to cry. Norman walked back to the bed and sat down, Victoria didn't seem to be letting go anytime soon so he decided to get comfortable. Phil picked up the phone and dialed security to let them know that Victoria was with them.

"She's there? Does she need medical attention?" asked G.

"Let me check" said Phil. "Norman, does she need a doctor?"

"Victoria, do you need a doctor?" asked Norman. Victoria just sobbed in response. Josh walked over and started to look her over.

"Shit, her wrists are pretty bloody" said Josh.

"Yes, she needs a doctor. She's not critical or anything but she has some bloody wrists" said Phil. Security was up at the door a moment later with a paramedic. Norman whispered to Victoria that she had to turn around so they could check on her. The paramedic bandaged her wrists and gave her an ice pack for her head.

"Where is he now" asked G.

"He's still in the room. I head butted him and he fell back and hit his head on the table. Then I managed to get my hands free, but he was waking up so I gave him a valium" explained Victoria.

"You managed to knock him out and slip him a sedative?" asked Josh.

"Yeah, I guess so" said Victoria with a watery smile.

"What was his room number?" asked G.

"It was 2141" replied Victoria. G picked up his radio and called in the strike team.

"Did he assault you in anyway?" asked G hesitantly.

"He hit me a few times, he kept calling me Juliet, he duct taped me to a chair, forced a sock in my mouth and I'm pretty sure that he was going to kill me. So yes I would say he assaulted me. But if you are asking if he sexually assaulted me, the answer is no." said Victoria surprisingly calmly.

"I will take this as your statement however the police may need you to make another one. We will be pressing charges based on the video tape of your abduction and I'm sure the police will charge him with assault. I assume you want to press charges" said G. Victoria just nodded before turning her face into the side of Norman's neck.

"I have something that could help calm her down" said the paramedic.

"She's got it covered" said Josh. The paramedic nodded and followed G out into the hall closing the door behind him.

"Victoria, I'm so glad you're ok" said Jake patting her back.

"I think she could probably do with a little rest" suggested Phil.

Norman, her room is just across the hall, I'm sure you want to stay with her." Norman nodded his head and carried Victoria into her room. He set her down on the side of the tub as he filled it. Then he gently stripped her and set her in the water. Victoria smiled up at him then sank beneath the water. Norman was alarmed and immediately thrust a hand in and grabbed her shoulder. Victoria broke the surface and looked questioningly at him.

"I do that all the time, it helps me calm down" said Victoria. "Sorry, I thought maybe you were going to drown" said Norman.

"Well I'm not" said Victoria. She dropped below the water and Norman watched Victoria underwater, her eyes were opened and she seemed to be staring at him. He started to get nervous wondering how long she would be able to hold her breath. He was about to reach in when she moved and broke the surface.

"Victoria, I just got you back. I don't think my heart can take watching you do that again" said Norman.

"Ok" said Victoria. Norman gently washed her hair and body then rinsed her off. Once she was out of the tub he took great care in drying her. Next he dressed her in a pair of pajamas and led her to the bed. Laying her down he stripped out of his clothes except for his boxers and climbed in next to her. He pulled her over him so her head was laying on his chest just above his heart. He could feel her tears falling on him.

"I'm so sorry that someone hurt you" said Norman. "And that I wasn't there to protect you."

"I've missed your heartbeat, it's like my life hasn't been complete without hearing it" said Victoria.

"My life hasn't been complete without you hearing it either" said Norman. Victoria sniffled slightly and eventually fell asleep. Norman stroked her hair lovingly and thought about the apology he wanted to give her when she woke up. Josh quietly opened the door in between their adjoining rooms. He peaked in and saw Victoria on Norman's chest fast asleep and he saw Norman lovingly rubbing her back. He quietly retreated back to his room closing the door silently.

"Well I guess we won't be going on that date after all" said Josh to himself.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Ok, I'm still on vacation but I found a little time to carve out another chapter. Thanks for all the great reviews and I hope this will tide you over for a few more days.

Norman was startled awake because Victoria suddenly moved off of his chest. She settled down next to him gently running her fingers through his chest hair. Her finger tips ghosted over his nipples and he sighed, he'd missed her so much in the past months. He didn't dare tell her that he was awake lest he break the spell. Victoria however knew he was awake, there was a tension in his body that always signaled that he was no longer asleep. She moved herself under the covers burrowing until she had her target in sight. Victoria wondered how long Norman would be able to keep playing possum once she got her mouth on him. Her answer was less than a second, because the moment her lips touched him he cried out.

"Victoria, what are you doing?"

It wasn't exactly the reaction she was hoping to hear, but he didn't push her away or tell her to stop so she continued. Norman was having trouble catching his breath, he knew he should tell her to stop because of all she'd been through. However he hadn't had anyone pleasure him since the last time he and Victoria were together and her mouth felt incredible. Victoria had no plans of stopping until Norman had finished, even with his hands tangling in her hair desperately trying to pull her up.

"Please Victoria, I want to be inside you" pleaded Norman.

That statement was enough to make Victoria stray from her original plan. She crawled up Norman's body scattering kisses as she went. When she reached his face he pulled her to him in a fierce kiss, before settling her on top of him and sliding home. They both sighed in mutual pleasure, there bodies quickly recalling each other. To Norman Victoria looked like a goddess astride him, he could see her start to peak and as soon as she pulsed around him he gave himself over to the building pleasure. Victoria collapsed onto him in a slightly sweaty heap. Norman dropped a kiss on her forehead then settled her over his heart, there was something about the position that seemed so comforting to both of them. Victoria soon fell back asleep leaving Norman alone with his thoughts. He laid in bed staring up at the ceiling and listening to Victoria's steady breathing. When he'd gotten on the plane to Vegas it had been to confront Victoria about her actions and to apologize for his handling of the situation. But the moment Phil told him that Victoria was missing and possibly in danger Norman realized that he'd come to Vegas to tell her he loved her. To proclaim his love to her and find out if she felt the same about him, with a plan brewing in his head he closed his eyes and slept.

Victoria cracked open her eyes a few hours later at the sound of her phone buzzing. Norman reached over and plucked it off the nightstand then handed it to her. Opening the text message she saw that it was from Phil. He needed Rory's number so he could call the newest Cornelia Marie crew member. Victoria sighed, on the one hand she wanted to stay in bed all day with Norman, on the other hand she should probably hand deliver Rory's information to Phil. Norman watched as Victoria got out of bed, he watched her bend over her bag and retrieve a notebook and carry it back to the bed. Opening the notebook she quickly found Rory's number and sent it to Phil, adding that she would be happy to call Rory herself if he wanted her to. She received a call a moment later.

"I'm surprised you're up Vicks" said Phil. "How are you feeling? Is Norman taking good care of you?"

"I'm feeling fine, as for being up the phone buzzing woke me. Norman is taking very good care of me" said Victoria. "Do you want me to call Rory for you?"

"No, I want you to rest today. I'll call the greenhorn, give him the good news then me and the boys will take him out to lunch or something" said Phil.

"Ok, I'm just going to spend the day in bed" said Victoria.

"Have fun" said Phil.

"Um, I will" said Victoria her voice heavy with embarrassment.

Victoria ended the call, then turned the phone to silent mode. Next she leaned over Norman and placed it on the nightstand. He wondered if she was serious about staying in bed all day, he hoped so because he thought it was a superb idea.

"How are you feeling?" asked Norman tentatively.

"I'm very happy because you're here" said Victoria.

"I came because I wanted to say I'm sorry about the way I acted. It was stupid and immature" said Norman.

"I accept your apology. I guess I could have been more forthcoming about what I was doing but honestly it never even occurred to me that it could be misconstrued" said Victoria.

"I've missed you so much" said Norman.

"I've missed you too" said Victoria. Norman moved over Victoria sealing his mouth to hers, all the regret and sadness that he'd felt over the previous months melting away. His hands roamed over her body plucking at her nipples then running his hand over her stomach and below. His fingers quickly found her clit and rubbed it gently.

"God, I've missed your hands" said Victoria.

"I've missed using them on you" said Norman. "But not as much as I've missed tasting you."

He moved down her body licking and sucking each inch of skin he passed until eventually his mouth reached its goal. Victoria moaned and her head thrashed against the pillow at the feeling. Norman watched her as he pleasured her with his mouth, loving the way his actions brought out such beautiful sounds. Victoria's hands threaded into Norman's hair, her nails scratching over his scalp tenderly. Norman felt her hand tighten in his hair as she approached orgasm making him redouble his effort to bring her over the edge. He felt her body clamp down around his fingers and Victoria cried out his name as she reached her peak. Climbing up her body Norman entered her reveling in the tightness. Victoria's eyes snapped open as her head tipped back slightly showing the column of her neck. Norman leaned down and placed a kiss over the pulse point on her throat. Victoria's legs came up and she hooked her ankles behind Norman's back driving him farther inside her. Their pace was frantic each participant giving and taking with complete abandon. Their orgasms both seemed to be pulled from their bodies culminating with both shouting the other's name. Norman lay down on the bed next to Victoria, she snuggled into his arms and closed her eyes. Norman was amazed at how well they fit together as if they were meant for one another. He wondered if that was what drove him away in the first place, the feeling that everything was too perfect. He'd been determined to prove to himself that she was not as perfect as she seemed. Yet, she'd never seemed less than perfect, she was open, honest, beautiful, fun loving, a little bit wild and his mother liked her, which were all characteristics that Norman liked but didn't see all together often enough in the women he'd dated. With future possibilities swirling in his brain he fell into a fitful sleep.

Victoria woke an hour later and quickly moved towards the bathroom she ran a bath and quickly climbed in. She lay with her head reclined in the tub twirling her hair around her fingers thinking about Norman. She loved him and could honestly say she'd never been happier to see another human being than she had been seeing him in the hotel room after the attack. At that moment she realized how much she loved him, how no one could compare to him. For a moment she let her mind consider the future. In her sepia colored future she saw towheaded children running around the backyard with their older cousins, she saw herself round with child carrying a platter of food outside for a barbeque, she saw Norman dropping a kiss on her forehead as she lay in the bathtub and she saw herself waiting with June and Louise at the docks waiting for the Northwestern to return to port. Her eyes snapped open at the last image, did she want to be the wife waiting on the dock? Could she be separated from him for such long stretches? For a moment she imagined the longing she would feel as he left for months at a time and then she thought of the longing she'd feel if they weren't together, if she could never hold him again, she decided that the months of longing would be nothing compared to a lifetime of heartache of living without him. Having come to a decision she gingerly stepped out of the bathtub barely drying herself off before bounding into the other room.

Victoria bounced onto the bed waking Norman from a very pleasant dream. He quirked a smile at her then raked his eyes down her naked form. Reaching out a hand he wiped at the drops of water still adorning her skin.

"Victoria, did you forget how to use a towel?" asked Norman teasingly.

"Nope, I've come to a decision and I'm excited to tell you" said Victoria.

"Well, lets hear it" said Norman.

"I think we should get married" said Victoria. Norman sat there in shocked silence. Victoria looked at him expectantly and when he didn't say anything for a moment her enthusiasm began to fade. Norman felt Victoria sit back on her heels and realized he'd been silent for too long.

"I'm suppose to ask you" he blurted out.

"Why? I love you and I think we should get married" said Victoria simply.

"Where's my ring?" asked Norman suddenly.

"What?" asked Victoria clearly confused.

"It's customary to be presented with a ring when one gets engaged" said Norman.

"I'll get you ring" said Victoria with a smirk. She scrambled off the bed and moved towards the room service tray in the corner of the room. She plucked a napkin off the tray, slipping the napkin out of the silver ring she advanced on Norman with a predatory look in her eyes. Norman's eyes widened as she climbed back onto the bed.

"That ring isn't going to fit on my finger" said Norman uneasily.

"It's not going on your finger" said Victoria. Her hand reached for him and he quickly caught her wrist. She hissed in pain and drew her hand back. Norman let go immediately and both of them looked down at her bandaged wrist.

"I'm so sorry Victoria, are you ok?" asked Norman.

"Yes, honestly I forgot it was hurt" said Victoria running her fingers along the bandage where blood was starting to seep through. Norman got up and retrieved some extra gauze and a clean washcloth from the bathroom. Unwrapping Victoria's wrist he tenderly cleaned the wound then rewrapped it with fresh gauze, as a final touch he dropped a kiss on her wrist.

"I want to marry you, but I want to ask you properly with a ring" said Norman.

"I don't need a ring, I just need you" said Victoria.

"Victoria, I'm sure you have a whole notebook somewhere with your dream wedding all planned out. I want to give you that" said Norman.

"Honestly, I don't have one of those notebooks. But if you do then we can have your dream wedding" said Victoria. Norman looked horrified at the suggestion that he had some sort of dream wedding scrapbook.

"There must be something that you've always dreamed of having at your wedding" said Norman.

"True love" said Victoria "And I've already found it with you." Norman gathered her into his arms and kissed her, he made love to her slowly and tenderly, pouring out his love to her through words and actions.

The sound of Norman's cell phone woke them and they both spent a comical few minutes locating the ringing phone. By the time it was found all the bedcovers were on the floor and so was Victoria. Flipping open the phone Norman bit out a greeting.

"Norm, it's Edgar. I was calling to check how everything was going."

"It's fine Edgar, how are things with you" said Norman making a face at Victoria.

"How's Victoria, did you two make up?" asked Edgar.

"She's fine now, although she has quite a story to tell one involving kidnapping, drugging and escaping" said Norman.

"Are you serious?" asked Edgar.

"You have to hear the story from her" said Norman.

"Well, since you've heard the story I assume that she's talking to you and you've apologized to her" said Edgar.

"Yes, we've declared our love to each other and she's already proposed marriage" said Norman.

"I hope you've accepted because you aren't likely to get another one of those" said Edgar laughingly.

"He said no" yelled Victoria.

"Norman, is she there right now? And you said no? Let me talk to her" said Edgar. Norman scowled at Victoria and reluctantly handed the phone to her.

"Hi Edgar" said Victoria.

"You sound happy" said Edgar.

"I'm very happy, even though Norman refused my proposal" said Victoria.

"You seriously asked him?" asked Edgar.

"Yes, it seemed like the logical thing to do after the conversation we had" said Victoria.

"Did he tell you he loved you?" asked Edgar.

"Yes" said Victoria her voice taking on a dreamy quality.

"I'm very happy for you Victoria, you deserve the best but if you are willing to settle for Norman then I guess that's cool too" said Edgar.

"Yeah, maybe we will get married before we go back to Seattle" said Victoria.

"Victoria, put Norman back on the phone" said Edgar suddenly.

"Ok, please give Louise and the kids my love" said Victoria. She handed the phone back to Norman and settled herself back on the bed.

"What's up Edgar" said Norman.

"Is she serious about getting married?" asked Edgar frantically.

"Yes, we are serious" replied Norman annoyance staining his voice.

"No, is she serious about getting married before you get back to Seattle. Because if that's true mom will kill you" said Edgar. Norman was looking at Victoria on the bed, her hands were drifting up and down her body plucking at her nipples and stroking slowly between her legs.

"Yes. Edgar I have someone to do. I'll talk to you later" said Norman. He hung up the phone and pounced on Victoria.

Back in Seattle Edgar stared at the cell phone in his hand wondering if Norman had really just said someone to do instead of something to do. Snapping back to the present he went off in search of Louise while dialing Sig's number.

"Sig, it's Edgar. I just talked to Norman and I think he and Victoria are eloping in Vegas. Call me back as soon as you get this message."

Edgar found Louise in the backyard with Daniel. He smiled indulgently down at his son then gave Louise the "I need to talk to you now" look.

"I'll be right back sweetie" said Louise then quickly followed Edgar into the house. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Norman and Victoria are getting married" said Edgar.

"How great! I'm so happy for them. Did they tell your mom yet?" asked Louise with a smile.

"They are eloping in Vegas" said Edgar frantically. Louise's smile slid off her face and was replaced with a look of pure horror.

"No. He can't, he wouldn't. He will not get out of the giant Norwegian wedding that all of us had to go through. Your mom will kill him if he gets married without her" said Louise.

"We've got to stop them" said Edgar suddenly. Louise nodded before pulling out her cell and hurrying out of the room. Edgar heard her talking to her sister asking if she could take the kids for a few days. He smiled to himself, it looked like he was going to Vegas. The cell in his hand rang and he quickly saw that it was Sig.

"Hey Sig" said Edgar.

"WHAT IS NORMAN THINKING?" yelled Sig into the phone. Edgar winced and moved the phone farther away from his ear.

"I don't know. Hopefully Louise and I will get there in time to stop him" said Edgar.

"June is already packing our bags, we leave in just over an hour" said Sig.

"Awesome, we will get the same flight" said Edgar grabbing a piece of paper to take down the information. With the plans made Edgar went upstairs to help Louise pack the bags.

Alexis drove Sig, June, Edgar and Louise to the airport. All the adults in the car were unusually quiet only slipping each other furtive glances and making the occasional vague comment. Alexis was suspicious as to why everyone was suddenly taking a trip to Vegas yet no one seemed very happy about it.

"So, who's getting married?" asked Alexis suddenly. The four other people in the car froze. Alexis grinned broadly she couldn't believe she'd gotten it right on the first guess.

"Alexis, mind your own business" said June.

"Right, of course" said Alexis, her mind already going through all the possible couples. Sig watched his daughter from his place in the passenger seat, he realized the exact moment she figured out who was probably getting married. He watched her eyes widen, her breath quicken and a ridiculous grin stretch across her face. The airport loomed ahead of the car and Alexis was soon stopping at the departure curb. Edgar, June and Louise all hustled out of the car. Sig however stayed seated then slowly turned to his daughter.

"I'll give you this hundred dollars if you don't call Victoria" said Sig holding the bill out to Alexis. Alexis stared at the money then looked up into her father's eyes.

"Fine, I won't call Victoria" said Alexis snatching the money from his hand. "But tell her and Uncle Norman congratulations for me." Sig nodded grimly then climbed out of the car. The group quickly walked into the airport disappearing from Alexis' sight. She pulled the car away from the curb and out of the airport. Pulling into the first parking lot she saw she pulled out her phone and sent a text message.

N-

Fam is OTW. Congrats on the wedding"

lex

Alexis put the car back into gear and finished driving home. Her dad made her promise not to call Victoria, he said nothing about texting Uncle Norman.

Back in the hotel room Norman groaned and reached for his phone. Popping open the text message he was surprised to see it was from Alexis. Once he read the text he didn't know whether to laugh or start running. He looked down at Victoria's sleeping form then reached down and stroked her arm smiling when she instinctively turned towards him.

"Victoria. Wake up" said Norman softly. Victoria's eyes fluttered open for a moment before she rolled over and buried her head under her pillow. Norman pulled the sheet off of her naked bottom and gave it a playful slap.

"This is important Victoria" he said sternly. When she didn't move he spanked her again this time letting his hand soothe the sting.

"Norman, I'm tired. What is so important?" said Victoria rolling over.

"I just got a text from my niece letting me know that the family is on their way here and congratulating me on my wedding" said Norman.

"Did you get married to someone while I was sleeping? I can't believe you didn't invite me" said Victoria teasingly.

"This is serious" said Norman.

"Why? They will come here and find out we didn't get married then probably gamble a little, maybe see a show, go out to a nice dinner then go home" said Victoria.

"They are coming her to stop us from getting married" said Norman.

"But we aren't getting married" said Victoria. "Remember you said no."

"I said no to you proposing to me, I want to propose to you" clarified Norman. Victoria gave him a soft smile then leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. Sitting back Victoria eyes took on a devilish gleam.

"I think we should give them a wedding to break up" said Victoria.

"What?" asked Norman.

"Yeah. What if we tell Phil, Jonathon and the boys that we are getting married, you know ask them to stand with us and then let them tell your family where we are getting hitched. Then when all of them show up we can ask the Elvis impersonator to tell everyone they just missed us, that we couldn't wait and that we already got married. Then we can sit back and watch the chaos or if you prefer slip back to Seattle completely unnoticed" said Victoria. Norman said nothing for a few moments, he was in awe of Victoria's devious plan.

"What did Phil and Jonathon ever do to you?" asked Norman. "Because my brothers are going to kill them when they tell them we've gotten married and they helped."

"They duct taped me to the wall of my hotel room" said Victoria.

"Enough said. I think this plan is perfect" said Norman. "We probably only have a couple of hours before their plane lands so we need to work fast."

"Not a problem, I'll take care of everything. The only thing I need you to do is ask the guys to be our wedding party" said Victoria.

"I'll ask the moment we know where and when we want them to show up" said Norman. Victoria picked up her laptop and quickly found the perfect chapel complete with Elvis impersonator. She gave Norman the information as he stepped out of the shower then called a few other places to make a few last minute arrangements.

Norman walked across the hallway and knocked gingerly on Phil's door. He knew he had to sell the story and hoped that Phil would buy it. Phil opened the door obviously surprised to see Norman standing there.

"Norman, is Vicks ok?" asked Phil.

"Yes, I need to talk to you and the guys about something" said Norman. "It's important."

"Of course" said Phil moving aside to let Norman into the room. The rest of the guys were sitting around the table playing cards.

"Hey guys" said Norman. He took a deep breath and decided that time was really of the essence and he needed to get the guys moving. "Victoria and I are getting married, today and we want all of you to be there" said Norman in a rush.

"You are getting married today?" asked Phil.

"Yes" said Norman.

"Congrats man" said Jonathon jumping up to clap Norman on the back.

"Yeah, congratulations. We'd love to be there" said Jake and Josh.

"Have you told your family about this?" asked Phil seriously.

"Yes and my family is on their way" said Norman.

"Really? Well I guess the days of the huge Hansen weddings have ended then" said Phil with a smile.

"That is the hope" said Norman.

"So what do you want us to do?" asked Jonathon. Norman spent the next 20 minutes outlining the plan and drinking a few congratulatory shots of Crown with the guys.

Victoria looked up expectantly as Norman walked into the room. Norman's smile just got bigger which told Victoria that everything had gone according to plan.

"It's all set" said Norman.

"Excellent" said Victoria channelling her best Mr. Burns. There was a knock at the room door and for a moment both Norman and Victoria froze. Victoria recovered first and walked over to the door and opened it. The chapel had sent over a rental dress and tux for the couple. Victoria thanked the delivery guy and carried the clothing into the room. Norman just looked quizzically at the garment bags.

"I thought we should look the part" said Victoria with a smile. Opening the garment bags she handed Norman his baby blue tuxedo then took out her wedding dress. The dress was white, trimmed with baby blue frills and was indecently short in the front with a long train in the back. Norman and Victoria quickly stripped out of their clothes and changed into their wedding finery.

"This is the ugliest tuxedo I've ever seen" said Norman. "But you look hot in that dress."

"We have to get Phil or someone to take our picture" said Victoria. She walked over to the phone and called Phil's room.

Phil knocked at the door a few minutes later holding a chilled bottle of champagne and some plastic cups to put it in. He supposed if Victoria really wanted to get married then he should at least toast to her happiness. Victoria opened the door with a shit eating grin and wearing the worst wedding dress he'd ever seen.

"Hi Phil, thanks for coming over to take our picture" said Victoria.

"That is some dress" said Phil.

"Thanks, it was a little last minute so this was all I could find on such short notice. But at least Norman and I match" said Victoria. Phil looked up at Norman and stopped breathing.

"I know it's really something" said Norman. Phil could only nod and attempt to draw air back into his lungs. Victoria handed Phil the camera, took the bottle of champagne and popped the cork before deftly pouring it into the cups. Victoria handed out the champagne tapping her cup against Phil's and taking a sip. This last action seemed to snap Phil out of his stupor.

"I'd like to propose a toast. To you both, may you have a happy and prosperous life together" said Phil. Victoria walked over and gave Phil a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you" said Victoria. Norman walked over and shook Phil's hand. For a moment both Victoria and Norman felt a flutter of guilt about the ruse.

"Alright, lets take some pictures" said Phil. Norman and Victoria spent the next few minutes striking ridiculous poses for Phil. By the end of the photo session the bottle of bubbly was empty and Victoria's side had a stitch in it from laughing so hard. Victoria gave Phil the time of the ceremony and directions to the chapel, then told him she and Norman had to get there early to sign some paperwork. Once Phil was safely across the hall in his room Victoria and Norman slipped out of their room taking their luggage with them.

Sig, Edgar, Louise and June were squished into a cab on the way to Treasure Island. Sig had called Victoria's manager Tony to find out where she was staying. Sig had chosen not to inform Tony as to why he needed to know and Tony didn't bother to inquire. To be honest Sig was feeling overwhelmed, there were 500 wedding chapels in Las Vegas according to June and they had to find the one that Norman and Victoria had chosen. The cab pulled up at the hotel and as they walked into the lobby they were met by a very excited looking Jonathon.

"Sig man, we thought you'd never get here" he said shaking Sig's hand.

"Jonathon, I didn't know you were here" said Sig.

"Yeah, I came to see Phil and the boys. What can I say any excuse for Vegas will do" said Jonathon with a wink. "Good thing I was here though, I would hate to miss out on the wedding."

"You are going to the wedding?" said Sig his rage barely contained.

"Yeah. Norman told us you were coming and said to make sure you got to the church on time" said Jonathon.

"Who else is going to this wedding?" asked Sig his voice almost a whisper.

"Phil, Jake and Josh. And of course all of you. I'm surprised, I thought your mom would be here" said Jonathon. "Anyway lets go up to Phil's room and you guys can freshen up or whatever. We have less than an hour to get to the chapel."

"Yes, I'd love to see Phil right about now" said Sig. Jonathon led the group up to the room and unceremoniously knocked on the door. Phil swung the door open and Sig was on him immediately.

"How could you let them get married" yelled Sig shaking Phil by the collar on his shirt. Jake and Josh jumped to their dad's aid and pulled Sig off of Phil.

"Jesus Sig, they said they called you" said Phil. "I was a little surprised to say the least but Norman said there wasn't going to be a Hansen ceremony this time."

"And you believed him?" asked Sig, straining against both boys holding him back.

"Yes" said Phil.

"How could you believe him? You went to both mine and Edgar's wedding. How could we not put Norman through the same torture" said Sig.

"Well I suppose I assumed that you had grown out of all the hazing" said Phil.

"Yeah right" muttered Edgar.

"Well we have the address right here, if you want to stop them we have time" said Josh.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place" demanded Sig.

"Probably because you were trying to kill me" said Phil.

"Lets go" said Sig completely ignoring Phil's last comment. The group walked out of the room and through the hotel lobby to the taxi stand.

At the Little White Wedding Chapel Victoria and Norman had just posed for their final picture. They'd explained everything they wanted the Elvis to say and taken a few stunt wedding photos to show everyone as proof. The Elvis was a huge fan of the show and seemed to be more than a little excited about meeting Phil, Jonathon and Sig. Victoria had paid the receptionist to video tape the entire scene once everyone arrived for posterity. Norman and Victoria changed out of their wedding clothes and into some very snazzy dinner clothes before leaving the chapel. Now all they had to do was wait.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: This story contains adult situations. Also I wrote this on a very long plane ride back from the states so I apologize if the content is slightly disjointed.

Norman and Victoria sat sipping Vodka at the Red Square bar in Mandalay Bay. Victoria was thrilled with the frozen bar top and was already turning her fingers to ice cubes as she tried to melt the thick coating of frozen water. Norman watched her, trying to determine how cold her fingers would get before she actually stopped touching the ice, he reasoned it wouldn't be anytime soon judging by her enthusiasm. He had been trying to explain why she should be able to tell the difference between Norwegian Vodka and every other type but she was no longer listening.

"Norman, why is this Vodka thing so important to you?" asked Victoria. She hadn't bothered to look up from her frozen fingers.

"It's all part of the tests" said Norman.

"What tests?" she asked.

"Basically my dad's family liked to make sure that their sons married who they considered good women" began Norman. Victoria shot him a look of annoyance. "Just let me finish" he continued. "So basically they devised these tests that showcased talents they thought Norwegian fisherman's wives should have."

"Give me some examples" said Victoria. She was now facing Norman and listening very keenly.

"One is to be able to tell the difference between Norwegian vodka and all others. Another would be making traditional Norwegian recipes, like meatballs or pancakes, etcetera. Then they should be able to gut and clean a fish quickly. Um, make sure they could keep their man happy" explained Norman.

"Happy as in good sex? Because I wonder how the test for that one went" chirped Victoria.

"You can ask June and Louise, they both went through all these tests" said Norman.

"Both of them? And they still married Edgar and Sig? They must really be in love" said Victoria.

Norman quietly sipped his drink wondering if he should tell Victoria the lengths in which Louise and June were hazed by his family.

"Will I have to do everything they had to do?" asked Victoria.

Norman was silent, he had no idea what to say. On the one hand it was a family tradition that dated back a very long time, but on the other hand he was hesitant to subject Victoria to anything, especially things that would no doubt be embarrassing.

"Look at me Norman" said Victoria. Norman looked at her and smiled sadly.

"If you want me to do this I will. I don't think anything they would ask me to do would be more demeaning than a variety of other things I've been asked to do in my line of work" said Victoria honestly.

"It would mean a lot to my family if you went through the tests" said Norman. "But if you don't want to then you don't have to."

"If it will make you happy I would walk on hot coals" said Victoria.

"Well, we won't be asking you to do that" said Norman. "The worst is probably biting the head off a hearing."

"Gross" said Victoria. "You weren't joking were you?"

"Nope" said Norman.

"Well I'm sure in another part of the world it's considered a delicacy" muttered Victoria.

"That's the spirit" said Norman leaning over and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"You know there are a few things we should talk about before I sign up for these tests" said Victoria.

"Ok, like what?" asked Norman.

"Like, where will we live after we get married?" asked Victoria.

"My house, I've spent a long time getting it just right and you seem to like it, plus it's close to my family" said Norman.

"I do like your house and I would love to live there. Where would I work?" asked Victoria.

"You could work in Seattle or from home if you wanted to or you could choose not to work" said Norman.

"I'd have to do something, I'd get bored" said Victoria.

"We could get a dog or something for you" said Norman helpfully.

"Do you want to have kids?" asked Victoria suddenly.

"Do you?" replied Norman.

"I asked first" said Victoria.

"I'd like to have kids if you want them" said Norman quietly.

"I'd love to have your children" said Victoria.

Norman leaned over and kissed her hard, Victoria responded by sliding her hand onto Norman's neck. The second her fingers hit his skin he yelped and pulled away.

"You hand is fucking freezing" he growled.

"Sorry" giggled Victoria struggling to touch every inch of exposed skin on Norman's body with her cold fingers.

Meanwhile in another part of town a very large group of people approached the Little White Wedding Chapel. Sig and Edgar led the group towards the door. The entire cab ride had been spent discussing the best way to stop a Vegas wedding. The choices were to wait until the famous line asking if anyone feels the wedding should not take place or just busting in and yelling stop. Edgar and Sig were clearly fans of the second option.

"Sig, just think about what you are going to do before you do it" called Phil.

"I'm going to try not to kill anyone" said Sig.

"They love each other and want to have a small wedding" said Josh.

"You better shut up before I shut you up" growled Edgar.

"Fine, I'm just saying that Victoria is more dangerous then you think so I don't suggest getting her mad" said Josh.

"Noted" said Sig. "Edgar we go in on 3. One. Two Three."

They swung the doors open saw a man and woman standing on the alter and immediately broke out into a run. Sig reached the guy first and swung him around while yelling "what do you think you're doing?" The moment the guy was facing him he realized that it wasn't Norman it was Elvis or rather someone dressed like Elvis.

"Sig Hansen, it's an honor to meet you" said the Elvis thrusting his hand out. Sig automatically shook the proffered hand then stepped back. "Norman and Victoria said you'd be coming but people say a lot of things in here and very rarely do any of them come true" continued Elvis.

"They were here?" asked Edgar.

"Yes, they were about an hour ago. Such a cute couple, couldn't wait to get married so we just went ahead with the ceremony" said Elvis.

"I'm going to fucking kill them" said Sig.

"Sig, I told you they are in love" said Josh.

"That's it, I'm going to kill you first. All of you. You let this happen" yelled Sig reaching for Josh. Phil stepped in between Sig and his son and quickly placed his hands on Sig's chest.

"That's not going to solve anything" said Phil. Sig swung and narrowly missed hitting Phil in the face, Phil had been able to angle back but the blow caught him in the upper chest. After that all hell broke loose, Edgar had jumped into the fray and soon everyone was just a tangle of limbs on the floor.

"Jesus Christ, get off the floor you idiots" yelled June hauling Sig up by his arm. Everyone else separated from each other while rubbing various bruised body parts.

"They said you'd pick up the pictures for them" said Elvis handing Sig a small album. Sig took the album with numb fingers then sat down heavily in the first pew. The others gathered around him and watched as he opened the first page. There in gleaming color were Victoria and Norman decked out in their baby blue wedding outfits smiling for the camera. Victoria was holding a fake bouquet while facing Norman in front of the alter. The next page showed them kissing while Elvis struck a pose in the background. The final page showed the two in front of a Just Married Sign, but instead of Married the sign said kidding.

"Oh my God" said Edgar. "It was all just a joke. Now I'm really going to kill him."

"This has Victoria written all over it" said Josh rubbing his sore jaw.

"They also asked me to give you this" said Elvis. He handed Sig a small envelope. The card inside just had one word Craftsteak.

"What the hell does this mean?" asked Sig.

"It's a restaurant at the MGM Grand, they want you to meet them there" said Elvis helpfully.

"Right" said Sig.

"Before you go and in lieu of charging you for all the damage you caused could you sign a few autographs for me" said Elvis.

"We'd be happy to" said Phil as he looked around the chapel. Pews were turned over and most of the flowers and tule were heaped onto the ground and someone had fallen into the pulpit which had basically been turned into kindling. Elvis produced a rather large stack of photographs and a handful of pens.

"I don't know what hurts worse my chin from the punch or my arm from signing all those pictures" complained Jonathon.

"Definitely the arm" said Edgar.

The group piled into the taxi and headed to the MGM grand and their date with Norman and Victoria.

Sitting in a back room at Craftsteak Victoria and Norman sipped on wine and waited. Elvis had called from the chapel saying the family was on their way, he also gave them a run down of what had taken place assuring Victoria that it was all on video. Victoria had thanked him profusely and then hung up. She'd just put the phone away when the group entered the dining room. Victoria noted that every guy looked worse for wear. Josh was sporting a huge bruise on his cheek and what looked to be the beginnings of a black eye. Jonathon looked like he'd been through the ringer, even a corner of his jacket was torn slightly. Sig and Edgar both looked pretty roughed up although neither seemed to have any obvious injuries. Phil and Jake seemed to be unscathed although Jake seemed to be limping slightly.

"Hi everyone, I'm glad you got our note. Have a seat" said Victoria her voice sugary sweet. "Have some wine."

"Is it poisoned?" asked Josh.

"No" said Victoria taking a sip from her glass.

Edgar and Sig stood in the entry way talking quietly before nodding to each other and taking the seats on either side of the couple. Edgar taking the seat next to Victoria while Sig sat next to Norman. The wives sat next to their husbands and everyone else quickly filed into the remaining seats. The waiter quickly filled everyone's wine glasses before bending down to whisper in Victoria's ear. Victoria just nodded in response to his question before turning her attention to the group.

"I hope you don't mind but I ordered for everyone, I thought it would just be easier" said Victoria.

"What are we having?" asked Jake.

"Sort of a tasting menu. This place is delicious and I know they will make the meal memorable" said Victoria with a smile. Phil just snorted thinking this night was bound to be burned into his memory forever. Sig cleared his throat.

"What the hell were you thinking" he said. "No I know what you were thinking. Or rather that you weren't thinking. Do you know what a disaster this could have been."

"I'm sorry could you repeat that again. In English" said Victoria.

"He can't talk, he's too mad" said June.

"Well I think I have something to cheer him up" said Victoria. "I've agreed to marry Norman and go through with the Hansen Family tests."

Both Edgar and Sig just stared at Victoria then both slowly shifted their gaze to Norman. This was clearly not the announcement they'd expected. The first course of food arrived and everyone at the table dug in hungrily. Between bites of food Phil explained the Hansen tests to Jake, Josh and Jonathon. Victoria listened intently wondering if she could get any hints as to what she'd be asked. Edgar's hand brushed her leg under the table and she turned to look at him.

"Are you serious about doing the tests?" he asked.

"Yes, Norman said it's important to him and the family" said Victoria. Edgar just nodded then leaned over and gave Victoria a kiss on the cheek before whispering in her ear.

"It's going to be so much fun."

He sounded playful and almost giddy. Victoria immediately got a bad feeling about the tests, she had no doubt she would come to regret her decision to participate. The rest of the dinner past in pleasant conversation and a complete rehashing of the fight at the chapel.

After the dinner the group sat drinking brandy and smoking in a small bar at the MGM. Jake and Josh were anxious to go out and were quizzing Victoria on where they should go. Victoria finally made some calls and got them on the list at Pure. The boys said some hasty goodbyes and headed back to the hotel to change clothes. Louise and June both stood suddenly and announced they were going to the ladies room.

"Victoria, do you need to go?" asked June pointedly.

"That's girl code for come with us or else" whispered Victoria to Norman. Victoria stood up and followed the ladies to the bathroom. The moment they were out of earshot of the guys the questions started.

"Why did you agree to the tests" asked June.

"Probably the same reason you did" said Victoria.

"You're pregnant?" said June. Victoria's jaw dropped.

"Just kidding" said June with a smile. "I didn't agree to the tests, they were just forced upon me."

"Well Norman gave me a choice, but he said it was tradition and that it meant a lot to the family" explained Victoria.

"He gave you the choice not to do it?" asked Louise in amazement. "Edgar just told me I had to and that everyone in his family had to."

"Well to be honest I've been asked to do a lot of embarrassing and demeaning things as an assistant. And I did those things for a paycheck, I'll do these things because I love Norman" said Victoria.

"You must love him" said Louise giving Victoria a squeeze.

"We should go out to celebrate" said June,. "It's been ages since Sig and I have been dancing."

"They will never agree to go dancing" said Louise. "All they want to do is gamble."

"I think I can get them to take us dancing" said Victoria slyly.

"I can't wait to watch you work your magic" said June.

"There is a price though" said Victoria. "I want you to tell me every single test you both had to go through, in detail."

"Agreed" said Louise and June. "If you can get Sig and Edgar to take us dancing tonight then we will tell you everything."

The ladies shook hands on the agreement then headed back to the guys.

"That took a long time" said Edgar.

"Well we were all switching underwear" said Victoria offhandedly. Jonathon and Phil just snickered.

"Norman, you are going to have a firecracker as a wife, your life will never be boring" said Jonathon.

"Thanks" said Norman. Victoria settled on his lap and took a sip of her brandy before turning to face Sig and Edgar.

"So gentlemen, I was just speaking to your wives in the bathroom and they would like to go dancing" said Victoria.

"Did they now" said Sig giving June a pointed glare.

"You can take them dancing" suggested Edgar.

"I think they want you to go with them" said Victoria slowly as if talking to a small child.

"Well they should have also mentioned that they already know what we want to do" said Edgar.

"They didn't" said Victoria innocently.

"Well they know that we want to play the tables" said Edgar.

"How about we make a bet" said Victoria. "You pick the game and we play for 15 minutes and the person who's won the most gets to decide if we go dancing or do something else."

Edgar and Sig conferenced for a moment before agreeing to the bet.

Sig and Edgar walked ahead of everyone else trying to choose a game to play. They were deep in conversation with each other and completely oblivious to the conversation going on behind them.

"Vicks, don't you think it's a little mean to make that kind of a bet" said Phil. "After all you did just make them go through the whole fake wedding hoopla."

"Maybe this will teach them a lesson about thinking boys are better then girls" said Victoria. "Besides they might even win."

"Right" said Phil sarcastically. Norman slipped his arm around Victoria's waist and pulled her close.

"Do we have to go dancing too?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, if only to make sure they follow through on their promise. Plus I want to dance with you, feeling your body up against mine grinding to the music" said Victoria huskily. Norman leaned over and whispered something very naughty about sex in Victoria's ear causing her to blush.

"Now now you two save it for the bedroom" chided Jonathon.

Sig and Edgar finally stopped at a craps table.

"Ok Elf, lets see if you know how to play craps" said Sig smugly.

"Is that the dice game?" asked Victoria.

"This is going to be so easy" said Edgar.

Phil just shook his head at both comments. Victoria walked up to the table and pulled $200 out of her wallet and placed it on the table and looked at her watch. Sig and Edgar followed suit and soon they were all playing in earnest. Victoria watched as the table came to life, her money started to rack up but so did Sig and Edgar's. It was her turn to roll with only about 5 minutes left. She smiled to herself, blew on the dice and rolled. Her luck held and she was able to roll the numbers that only she had bets on and by the time she crapped out and it was Sig's turn she'd already pulled ahead in the chip count.

"You've got less than a minute" said Norman.

Sig picked up the dice and rolled two 7's straight out of the gate. Then just kept rolling, it was reminiscent of Victoria's roll with Phil at the table, it just seemed to go on forever. Finally Sig crapped out and Victoria looked at the small fortune that she and the boys had amassed.

"Time was up a while ago" said Norman. Victoria cashed in for larger chips and followed Sig and Edgar to the cage to cash out.

"That was the coolest craps game I've ever played" said Sig.

"Yeah, it's lucky Vicks" said Phil. "She must have won $5k on the first night we were here." Victoria immediately shot Phil a dirty look.

"Is that the dice game" mimicked Edgar. "You are a little hustler."

"Whatever works" said Victoria with a smirk.

"Fuck we've won a lot. I think the ladies deserve to go dancing regardless of who wins. I'm in the mood to celebrate" said Sig.

All told Victoria, Sig and Edgar walked away with quite a tidy sum. Victoria still ended up winning the most, in fact Sig and Edgar tried to figure out how she'd managed it since they'd basically bet the same amount of money on each hand yet she came out ahead. Regardless everyone in the group was ready for some fun.

Victoria walked up to the velvet rope at Studio 54 and spoke briefly to the bouncer. He remembered her from her previous visit and immediately let the group in radioing the VIP handler inside to get a table ready. In fact to everyone with the exception of Jonathon and Phil it seemed like Victoria knew every single person in the club. The VIP room handler greeted her by name and brought out a bottle of Grey Goose and some mixers the minute she sat down.

"Elf, this is clearly not your first trip to Vegas" commented Sig.

"Are you kidding, we've been with her for the last few days and I get the feeling that she owns this town and just didn't bother to tell us" said Phil.

Victoria just smiled in acknowledgement and poured out the drinks. She handed a few vodka red bulls to Louise and June who'd been suspiciously quiet since the Victoria had played craps.

"What's up ladies? Is this not where you wanted to go dancing?" asked Victoria.

"No, I think we are just a little overwhelmed by everything you just did" replied June.

"Yeah, I've never seen anyone play craps like that nor have I ever been escorted to a VIP section of a club" said Louise.

"Well this is what Vegas is all about" said Victoria. "Do you want to dance?"

June, Louise and Victoria all walked down to the dance floor. They danced together in a tight little circle. The guys watched from above taking the opportunity to discuss Norman's future wife.

"I'm telling you Norman she is the devil incarnate" said Jonathon. "Never in my life would I have thought you could pull such a cruel prank."

"Oh please, you are just jealous that it would never have occurred to you to pull such a stunt" said Phil. "Although she's going to have to take us out to dinner a few more times to make up for the bruising."

"Yeah for both egos and body parts" said Edgar. "Although I'm sure we will pay her back once she starts doing the tests."

"What's the deal with the tests?" asked Jonathon.

Sig, Norman and Edgar all described the tests and explained their purpose.

"I can't believe she agreed. Did you tell her what she'd be doing?" asked Phil.

"I gave her a general description, but they change all the time" said Norman.

"That is Norwegian bullshit for no" said Phil. "She's going to have your ass in a sling once she finds out what you are going to let them do to her."

Edgar let out a manical laugh and rubbed his hands together evilly. He'd just finished his laugh when the girls reappeared at the table.

"Let me guess, you were discussing the tests" said Victoria.

"Bingo" said Phil.

Victoria poured herself a drink and sat down next to Norman on the loveseat. In all honesty she just wanted to put the tests out of her head for the night, but that didn't seem very likely. Norman patted her knee tenderly then started to rub up her thigh. Victoria casually shifted her position so Norman's roaming hand was somewhat concealed. Her legs opened slightly and Norman's hand was able to slip higher. That was as far as he got because Sig plopped down right next to Victoria.

"So Elf, are you ready for your first test?" asked Sig.

"Sure" said Victoria with all the false enthusiasm that she could muster.

"Now there is a lot of important things a fisherman's wife should know. One of the most important is how to tell the difference between vodkas. Specifically the difference between the superior Norwegian Vodka and the others" said Sig.

"How do you plan to test me on this?" asked Victoria.

"First you need to name all the brands of Norwegian Vodka you can. Then we are going to order some and see if you can tell the difference" explained Sig.

Victoria listed all the Norwegian Vodka's Norman had told her about earlier. Sig and Edgar seemed duly impressed and pronounced the first part of the test passed. The tasting portion would be done later at Red Square. In celebration of passing the first mini test everyone went downstairs to dance. Victoria loved watching Sig and Edgar interact with their wives, the love they had for each other shined through in those moments. It didn't take Phil and Jonathon long to pick up a few ladies of their own. Norman and Victoria danced so close that it was doubtful anyone would be able to slip a piece of paper between them. Norman allowed his hands to roam over Victoria's body with complete abandon loving the feel of her in his arms.

The Red Square bar was rather crowded when they arrived, however since Norman had been rather generous with his earlier tipping the bartender found room for them at a back table. Sig explained the situation and the bartender quickly returned with 7 small glasses of Vodka. The bartender handed Sig the key that told which Vodkas were which.

"Alright Elf, lets see how you do" said Sig.

Victoria picked up the first glass and took a small sip. As much as she enjoyed Vodka she already had quite a few drinks this evening and her taste buds were definitely not feeling up to the challenge.

"Elf, you can't sip you have to drink it" said Edgar.

Victoria shot him a dirty look and drank the rest of the glass.

"It's Finlandia" she said.

"Nope" said Sig. "Strike one."

Victoria took a deep breath and tried the next one. She smiled to herself.

"Kettle One" said Victoria.

"Right" said Sig.

Victoria picked up the third glass then set it back down.

"What's wrong Elf? Giving up already?" chided Edgar.

"I just need a bit of a break" said Victoria.

After a few minutes and a glass of water Victoria picked up the next glass and took a long drink. Her guess as correct as was the next one. She missed the next and finally there was only 2 shots left. Victoria was seriously considering just taking a buy on the rest, she was feeling less than stellar and was starting to hate the taste of vodka. Norman seemed to sense this and ran a cool hand up her back and onto her neck.

"You're almost there Victoria, only 2 more to go" he said reassuringly.

Victoria nodded weakly and tried the next one. She looked up and noticed that June was doing some sort of pantomime behind Sig's back. Victoria tried to discern what she was doing but it was a complete mystery to her. It did make her laugh though. As Victoria giggled she sloshed some of the vodka onto the table.

"Don't spill it Vicks, the Norwegians spent a lot of time making it" said Phil.

"Do not help her, this is a test and you are cheating" said Sig.

Victoria suddenly realized what June had been doing. It was a some sort of opera move.

"Viking fjord" said Victoria.

"Right, although it shouldn't count because Phil helped you" said Sig grumpily.

Victoria merely shrugged before picking up the last glass. She sipped it and looked up at June who was again doing her charade routine. The difference was this time Victoria realized what she was doing and easily identified her movements.

"Violin" said Victoria.

"Right. Well you passed" said Sig.

"Thank God, I think I'm done with straight vodka for a while" said Victoria. She gratefully accepted a glass of water from Louise and sipped at it for a few minutes. Norman patted her tenderly on the back and gave her a congratulatory kiss. The evening after that was a blur or gambling and drinking. Norman and Victoria finally made it back to the room around dawn. Both fell tiredly into bed barely having enough energy to shed their clothes. They wrapped their arms around each other and fell asleep.

The plane ride home was a rather subdued affair partly because everyone was a little sad to leave Vegas and because everyone seemed to be nursing some sort of a hangover. Victoria and Norman sat cuddled together behind the group talking about what was going to happen now.

"I need to pick up my stuff from Phil's house and then I'll drive over to yours" said Victoria.

"I have to run a quick errand but it shouldn't take me too long" said Norman.

"I'll try to drive slow" said Victoria with a wink.

"I didn't think that was possible for you to do" said Norman teasingly.

"I said I'd try, not that I'd be able to" said Victoria saucily.

The flight landed and the group split up. Victoria getting into the hired car to head to Phil's and Norman getting into the car with his family. The drive back to Phil's house was quick and before Victoria knew it she was packed and ready to go.

"Vicks, I wanted to tell you congrats on the engagement" said Phil giving her a hug. "Don't let Sig and Edgar be too rough on you."

"I won't. Thanks for being such a sport about the prank, but it was payback for the duct tape." said Victoria.

"Well it was a great prank" said Phil.

Victoria said goodbye to Jake and Josh giving them both hugs and graciously accepting their congratulations. Josh walked her out to the car.

"Vicks, I hope you'll be really happy, you deserve nothing but the best" he said.

"Thanks Josh" said Victoria.

The drive to Norman's house was uneventful and when Victoria arrived Norman was waiting at the door. He pulled her inside and walked her into the study. There on the globe she'd given him was a ring box.

"I'll give you the world if you want it. And it would mean the world to me if you'd be my wife" said Norman.

"I'd be honored" said Victoria.

Norman pulled the ring box off the globe, opened it and removed the ring. It was one his mother had told him about the night she met Victoria at the family barbeque. It had been her mother's and she'd insisted that Norman use it as an engagement ring. He slipped it onto Victoria's ring finger and it was a perfect fit.

"How did you know my size?" asked Victoria.

"It's just fate" said Norman.

Victoria pulled Norman by the hand up to the bedroom. The moment they crossed the threshold she was on top of him. They both rushed to remove their clothing and soon they were naked on the bed. Norman descended onto Victoria's breasts sucking and nipping at them, she threw her head back in response. Norman moved down her body finally reaching her core. His fingers pulled her open and for a moment he simply admired her womanhood before moving to taste her. Victoria desperately bucked her hips trying to get Norman to the spot she wanted him to touch most. Norman however was in the mood for slow seduction and kept his touches and kisses soft and fleeting. Finally Victoria got frustrated.

"Norman if you don't fuck me I'm going to fuck you" said Victoria.

It was all the encouragement Norman needed and Victoria found herself on all fours being ridden like a bitch in heat. Victoria slipped her hand down stroking her clit in counterpoint to Norman's powerful thrusts. Norman spanked her bottom lightly a few times then moved to play with her ass. Although Victoria was no stranger to anal sex, she certainly wasn't too familiar with it. The feeling of Norman's finger slipping into her was both erotic and slightly strange. The feeling of pleasure was starting to build and when Norman slipped a second finger into her the pressure of being stretched set off a very powerful orgasm. Norman followed her into oblivion collapsing rather heavily on top of her. He immediately rolled off of her removing his fingers from her and pulling her to him.

The next morning Norman and Victoria received an unexpected visitor. A little after 9 am Sver Hansen was sitting in the kitchen accepting tea from a very surprised and completely disheveled Victoria. Norman was still in bed, promising he'd be down after he showered.

"I think you've exhausted my son" said Sver.

Victoria had no rejoinder to that comment so she stayed quiet busying herself making some fresh biscuits.

"You don't have to make anything on my account, I've already eaten" said Sver.

"I like cooking" said Victoria. "Especially for Norman."

"Blessed be God, it took Louise and June years to master all the recipes and they are both Norwegian" said Sver more to herself than Victoria. "Where do your people come from?"

"Um, the east coast" said Victoria.

"No, where originally" said Sver.

"I don't really know, my parents died when I was young and I never really got my family history. I'm afraid it died with them" said Victoria.

"Well my dear we will say you are Norwegian just to make it easier" said Sver.

Victoria just smiled to herself and popped the biscuits into the oven. When she turned back around there was a very old piece of paper on the counter. Sver nodded at her to pick it up, which she did reverently. The paper felt as if it would turn to dust any moment and Victoria was worried that it would crumble in her hand.

"It's a recipe. I would like you to make it for your engagement dinner" said Sver.

"I'd be honored to" said Victoria. She could barely make out the writing but from her cursory reading it seemed to be a meatball recipe.

"I assume that you and Norman will be having the party here, since the last party was such a success" said Sver.

Before Victoria could answer Norman sashayed into the kitchen looking like the cat that got the cream.

"Morning mom" said Norman dropping a kiss on her cheek. "

Hello beautiful" he said to Victoria while he gave her a rather inappropriate kiss considering his mother was in the room.

"Norman I was discussing your engagement party with Victoria" said Sver.

"We can have it this weekend if you want" said Norman casually.

This pronouncement shocked Victoria, the parties she'd helped to plan usually took a lot of time to organize and Norman had just given her 7 days to plan and execute the mysterious meatball recipe.

"Wonderful, it will just be the family and which ever friends you'd like to include" said Sver.

Sver rose suddenly and thanked Victoria for the tea before asking Norman to walk her out to the car. Norman returned a moment later all smiles.

"She loves you" he said happily.

"Did you have any doubt" said Victoria cheekily.

"Nope" replied Norman.

Victoria spent the rest of the day making lists in her notebook regarding the party. She also carefully copied the meatball recipe onto a fresh sheet of paper before putting the original into the desk in the study. Hours later Norman found her fast asleep at the desk in the study. He carefully moved her head off the desk and carried her to the couch in the living room. He'd made dinner and was hesitant to let it go to waste since he knew Victoria hadn't eaten lunch. Leaning over her prone form he kissed her lightly on the lips. Her eyes fluttered open just like sleeping beauty and she gave him a radiant smile.

"Dinner's ready" said Norman quietly.

"It smells delicious" said Victoria sleepily.

They walked slowly into the dinning room where they ate quietly. Norman sent Victoria up to bed immediately following dinner promising to be up to tuck her in. When he arrived she was fast asleep completely naked on top of the covers. Norman quickly stripped and climbed in next to her. His hand roamed over her body but she never stirred. Norman sighed and turned off the lights, any play would have to wait until Victoria was awake to participate.

The next morning they were once again awoken by the sound of the doorbell. Victoria got up to answer what had become rather insistent knocking. Sig stood at the door and seemed to be a little surprised to see Victoria in such a ridiculous state of undress answering the door.

"Jesus Elf, what if I'd been my mother" said Sig.

"She was here yesterday, so I assumed it wasn't going to be her" said Victoria. Sig followed Victoria into the kitchen noticing the way her t-shirt barely covered her naked ass. Victoria started the coffee maker then opened the fridge.

"Have you eaten breakfast?" she asked.

"I had coffee and cigarettes, so I guess the answer would be yes" replied Sig.

"Would you like some food?" asked Victoria.

"Um, sure" said Sig.

While reaching into the fridge Victoria gave Sig a wonderful view of her ass before realizing that she was horribly underdressed for cooking. She quickly excused herself leaving Sig to pour the coffee. Norman followed Victoria downstairs and immediately gave Sig a questioning look.

"What's up Sig?" asked Norman.

"The boat is almost done with repairs and is ready for inspection. I want you and Edgar to come down tomorrow and we will go through everything with a fine tooth comb" said Sig.

"Ready? Wow, that was a lot faster than we thought" replied Norman.

"Yep, I want to be extra sure they didn't miss anything" said Sig.

"What time do you want to meet?" asked Norman.

"The morning, the crew will be there around 7" said Sig.

Victoria set down plates of bacon and eggs in front of Sig and Norman. Both seemed mildly surprised at how quick breakfast had been prepared and delivered. Sig dug in proclaiming the eggs the best he'd ever eaten. Norman merely conveyed his opinion with a smile and a pinch. Sig left a few minutes later leaving Victoria and Norman alone in the kitchen.

"When do you leave for King Crab?" asked Victoria.

"We usually take the boat up in early October" replied Norman.

Victoria just sat quietly mentally tabulating the days she had left to see him. With a sigh she got up and retrieved her notebook which contained her lists for the party. The rest of the morning was spent making a few final decisions regarding food, guests and decorations.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning found Victoria sound asleep, her head resting on Norman's chest. Norman's cell phone rang causing Victoria to emit a rather threatening growl. Norman tried to pick up the phone without displacing Victoria.

"Hello" said Norman.

"Norman, it's Sig. I just wanted to tell you that we are going to meet at your house in an hour."

Norman glanced at the clock noting that it wasn't even 7 am yet.

"Why so early?" asked Norman.

"We thought we'd test to see how nice your future wife is with a kitchen full of hungry crabbers" replied Sig.

"Great. I can't wait to tell her" said Norman sarcastically.

"Well you should do it soon because you know how Matt is early to everything" said Sig.

"See you later" said Norman resignedly.

Norman hung up the phone and looked at Victoria's sleeping form on his chest.

"I know you heard all that" said Norman.

"I'm pretending that I didn't, because I'm sure whatever it is will require us both to get out of bed" said Victoria running her hand down Norman's side and under the sheet. She gripped him in her hand giving him a few tugs.

"How about we continue this exploration in the shower. That way we can shower and play at the same time" suggested Norman.

"Ok" said Victoria.

Stepping under the hot spray of the shower made Victoria moan contentedly. Norman helped Victoria wash her body running his soapy hands over every inch of her. Victoria squirted some of her soap onto her hands and started to wash Norman's body. She started with his shoulders, before lathering his chest and stomach as she moved farther down she carefully soaped the rest of him before turning to rinse him off under the spray. Then her mouth made the same trip her hands had just made. Closing her mouth over is cock caused Norman to throw his head back smacking it against the shower wall.

"Are you ok?" asked Victoria.

"Don't stop" groaned Norman.

Victoria smiled to herself and went back to the task at hand. Norman's head lolled against the shower wall until he'd had enough. Pulling himself carefully out of Victoria's mouth he lifted her up pinning her against the shower wall. Victoria felt him slip inside her and instantly wrapped her legs around him pulling him deeper. They worked together towards their mutual completion. Norman felt Victoria's hand slip past his stomach as she moved it to stroke herself. A few minutes later Norman felt Victoria clench around him and finally let himself fall into his own orgasm. Gently setting Victoria down on shaky legs Norman rewashed the remnants from their activities from her body and his own. The duo finally got out of the shower and quickly dressed. They had just made it out of the bedroom when the doorbell rang.

Norman went to answer the door and Victoria went to the kitchen to whip up some breakfast. She'd just placed some sausage in the pan and was pulling out the ingredients for biscuits when Matt walked into the kitchen.

"Morning Elf" said Matt.

"Good morning Matt, coffee is almost ready" said Victoria.

"It's nice to see you. How have you been?" asked Matt.

"I've been good. Norman and I got engaged" said Victoria happily.

"Congratulations. Is that why we are having breakfast over here?" asked Matt.

"I guess. I just found out about it this morning" said Victoria.

She poured cups of coffee for herself, Matt and Norman before turning back to the stove. A few more minutes passed before Jake and Nick arrived at the house. Coffee was dolled out and Victoria set out some fruit.

"Bananas" said Jake snagging one and peeling it. "I love bananas but we never get to have them on the boat."

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"Because apparently they are bad luck" said Jake.

Victoria didn't have a chance to respond because Sig and Edgar chose that moment to barrel into the kitchen.

"Elf, I hope you made pancakes" announced Edgar.

"Not yet" replied Victoria reaching into the pantry for the Bisquick.

"Norman, you smell really good" said Edgar sniffing at Norman.

Norman punched Edgar in the arm. Victoria managed to whip up some pancakes for Edgar, sausage gravy for Sig and honey butter for Nick before the guys all left to check on the repairs. She'd just managed to finish the dishes when the doorbell rang.

Victoria opened the door and was confronted by Louise and June both looking slightly eager. She invited them in and offered them tea which they both accepted. Once they were all seated in the living room the interrogation began.

"Victoria, how did it go this morning?" asked June.

"Fine, they ate and they left" answered Victoria.

"Did you make them everything they requested?" asked Louise.

"Yes" replied Victoria.

"Damn it, she's already ahead of us" muttered Louise.

"I didn't realize it was a contest" said Victoria.

"Of course it is. It's to see who's the best wife" said June.

"I'm not even a wife yet" said Victoria.

"But that is what the tests are for, to see how wonderful you'll be" said Louise sarcastically.

"What else have they asked you to do?" asked June.

"Well, Sver gave me a recipe to make at the engagement party" said Victoria.

"Anything else?" asked June.

"Just this morning's breakfast" replied Victoria.

"Well it's only starting" said Louise.

"Exactly how many tests did you two have to go through" asked Victoria.

"I don't even remember there were so many" said June airily.

"I think I went through at least 100" replied Louise.

Victoria's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Just kidding" said Louise. "It felt like 100 but it was probably a few less."

The ladies continued to chat and eventually Victoria invited them to stay for lunch. She made a delicious quiche and green salad. After lunch both June and Louise said their goodbyes and left. As they were walking out the door they pronounced her wives test passed. Victoria smiled warily at them as they walked to their cars. She had a feeling it was going to be a long road to the wedding.

Norman returns home after 4 and is greeted by a plate of cookies and a note from Victoria informing him she's out mailing the engagement invitations. Norman settles himself in front of the TV with a glass of milk and the plate of cookies. The repairs on the boat seem perfect but he and the guys will still have a lot of work to do in order to get the boat ready for Red Crab season. He smiles at the basket of laundry sitting at the base of the stairs, it seems so domestic. Victoria arrived home later carrying boxes of Chinese take away and a 6 pack of beer. She and Norman sat out on the deck enjoying the indian summer weather. She filled him in on the test she'd passed from Louise and June earlier in the day.

"Wow, two tests passed in one day. That's probably a record" said Norman.

"I didn't realize this whole test thing was going to be a huge competition" said Victoria sadly.

"You'll do great, probably win the whole thing" said Norman.

"But I don't want to win. It will just make June and Louise hate me" said Victoria.

"Then you will just have to throw a few tests" said Norman.

"Well how many do I have to pass in order to marry you?" asked Victoria.

"Most of them" said Norman with a smile.

Victoria just huffed and tossed a piece of slippery shrimp in Norman's direction.

"These tests are so ridiculous. I wish I had a schedule to tell me what I'm suppose to do and when. I don't like being surprised, I like planning and lists" whined Victoria.

"Victoria, you will do fine. I know it's annoying but it will be over soon" said Norman.

"We should have really gotten married in Vegas" muttered Victoria.

"Speaking on weddings when do you want to get married?" asked Norman.

"Tomorrow" said Victoria.

"At least give me enough time to buy a wedding band" said Norman.

"Fine. Can we do it before you leave for King Crab?" asked Victoria.

"I was thinking we could just have it here at the house. It's going to be small, just family and whoever you want to invite" said Norman.

"That sounds nice" said Victoria.

The rest of the evening passed with casual talk of the wedding.

Norman left early in the morning to meet Matt. It was time to order the food for the trip and Norman had the Northwestern credit card and Matt was the cook on the boat. Victoria stretched and got out of bed. She had a few plans for the day and wanted to get a early start. After stopping at the green market in Seattle she dropped off her groceries at home and headed out for an exercise class. She returned to the house later surprised to find Edgar sitting in the kitchen surfing the web on her computer and drinking a cup of coffee.

"Elf, I was wondering when you were going to get back" he said.

"What are you doing here?" asked Victoria.

"Why are you so sweaty?" asked Edgar.

"I just went to a Zumba class" explained Victoria.

"What the hell is Zumba?" asked Edgar.

"It's kind of an aerobic latin dance class" explained Victoria.

She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge then headed for the stairs. Edgar got up and followed her all the way into the bedroom. Victoria gave Edgar a questioning look.

"I need to ask you something" said Edgar.

"I want to take a shower" said Victoria.

"Go ahead" said Edgar. "I can talk while you shower."

"Fine" said Victoria.

She was frustrated and sweaty and the only thing she wanted to do was take a shower. She stripped out of her shirt and pants leaving her in just a sports bra and underwear. She walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Edgar followed her in and sat down on the counter facing the shower. Victoria gritted her teeth and stripped off the rest of her clothes before stepping into the shower. Edgar smiled at her gumption.

"So Edgar, talk" said Victoria over the spray of the shower.

"Louise wants you to throw the meatball test" said Edgar.

"What?" said Victoria in disbelief.

"She's the raining meatball champ and she doesn't want to lose that title" explained Edgar.

"No. Tell her I will throw any other test for her. But I went to culinary school and I love to cook. I've already got all the ingredients for the stupid meatballs" said Victoria.

"Come on Victoria, please" pleaded Edgar.

Victoria wiped some of the condensation off the door in order to look at Edgar.

"No" was all she said.

"Fine. But that means she's going to want me to be a lot harder on you when it's my turn to pick your tests" said Edgar.

"Great, I can't wait" said Victoria sarcastically.

FInishing her shower Victoria reached for a towel and gingerly wrapped it around herself. Stepping out onto the bath mat she gave herself a cursory drying off trying to keep most of her bits covered. She walked out to the dresser and pulled out some fresh underwear. She dropped the towel brazenly and quickly pulled on the undergarments. Then she pulled on some pants and a t-shirt before turning back to Edgar. He'd managed to go a slightly pinkish color.

"Edgar, are you blushing?" asked Victoria teasingly.

"Maybe. It's not everyday I see my brothers fiance naked" said Edgar.

"Well, you saw me naked when you stripped me in the shower on the Northwestern" said Victoria.

"True, but I wasn't really appreciating the view I was more concerned about you dying" said Edgar.

"Well consider today a freebee" said Victoria.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind about the meatballs?" asked Edgar.

"Nope. Tell Louise I'm really sorry" said Victoria. "But I'm not going to change my mind."

"Roger" said Edgar.

"Do you want a snack?" asked Victoria. "I made 2 dozen cookies yesterday, hopefully Norman didn't eat all of them."

"Sure, I love cookies" said Edgar with a smile.

Norman found them later sitting in front of the TV eating cookies and drinking coffee. He invited Edgar to dinner with them, but he declined saying that he had to deliver some bad news to Louise. When Norman looked for an explanation from Victoria she just shrugged. Norman and Victoria had a quiet dinner out and both decided to retire to bed early. Although there was no sleep to speak of, at least for a while.

The next day Norman once again left early, leaving Victoria naked and sleeping in his bed. Victoria decided that she had a good reason to sleep in so she cuddled back into the sheets and fell asleep. Sig opened the door and walked into Norman's house. Today was his test day and he was going to run Victoria through her paces. First he planned on having her make him breakfast, then he was going to quiz her on the specs of the Northwestern and crabbing in general. The house was quiet and he wondered if Victoria was out. He poured himself a cup of coffee and grabbed a scone off of the counter. He decided to check and see if she was upstairs. Cresting the top of the stairs he moved towards Norman's room. The moment he walked through the door he froze. There on the bed was Victoria, totally naked and in the middle of some self love. Lucky for Sig her eyes were closed so he immediately backed out of the room, unfortunately he hit his elbow on the doorframe spilling hot coffee all over his hand and the carpet. The moment the coffee hit his wrist he cried out. Victoria's eyes snapped open and she turned her shocked eyes on a very embarrassed Sig Hansen.

"Good morning Sig" said Victoria as she covered herself with the blanket.

"Victoria" was all Sig could manage to say before backing carefully out of the room. Victoria got up, showered, blow dried her hair and got dressed before making her way downstairs to find out what Sig wanted.

Sig was sitting very uncomfortably in the kitchen, he'd managed to drink almost the entire pot of coffee leaving barely enough for Victoria to have one cup. Victoria poured herself the rest of the coffee and brewed another pot. Next she made her and Sig some scrambled eggs and toast. Once she was seated and had eaten her first bite she turned her attention to Sig.

"So, what brings you to the house today?" she asked casually.

"Well, I wanted to say hello" said Sig lamely.

"Really? Well hi" said Victoria.

"What are you doing today?" asked Sig.

"I have an appointment a little bit later" said Victoria cagily.

"Well I can give you the test while we go" said Sig.

"We can just do the test right now. You don't need to go with me, it will be really boring for you" said Victoria.

"Where exactly is your appointment?" asked Sig suspiciously.

"It's at a salon" said Victoria vaguely.

"What exactly are you having done?" pried Sig.

"Jesus! I'm getting waxed" said Victoria exasperatedly.

"Waxed?" asked Sig.

"Yes, a bikini wax" said Victoria.

"Oh. Well I think I've seen that part of you already today" said Sig.

Victoria just answered Sig's comment with a scowl.

"Why don't you just come with me, you can wait in the car when I go in and then you can ask me all your important questions on the way" suggested Victoria.

"Fine" agreed Sig.

They left the house a few minutes later and Sig peppered Victoria with questions about the Northwestern and fishing in general. Victoria answered the questions the best she could being completely honest with Sig when she didn't have the answer. After her appointment Sig took her out to lunch. As they sat at the table Sig smiled as Victoria ordered a glass of wine and a bowl of soup.

"Drinking already?" asked Sig.

"I need it after the day I've had" replied Victoria before taking a sip of her wine.

"So how are all your plans going for the wedding?" asked Sig.

"We decided that we want it to be a small ceremony, just family and a few friends. I think we are going to have it at the house" said Victoria.

"Wow, that's really cool. Edgar and I both had huge weddings" said Sig. "Who are you going to have as your maid of honor?"

"I'm thinking of asking Edgar" said Victoria. "Do you think he'd wear the dress?"

"For you he might?" said Sig with a smile.

"That would be something to see" said Victoria with a wistful smile.

"Why don't you ask June or Louise?" asked Sig.

"Because if I ask one the other will be upset" explained Victoria. "Girls are like that."

"Tell me about it" said Sig with a sigh. "I have two of them."

"Your daughter Alexis is an absolute angel, I'm sure she's nothing but a delight" said Victoria.

"So you say" said Sig.

"Lunch was delicious, but I have to get back. I have food to prep for this weekend and a meatball recipe to perfect" said Victoria.

"Lets go then. By the way you passed your test" said Sig.

Victoria turned a radiant smile on Sig when he gave her the news.

The day of the party finally arrived and Victoria was in full catering mode. The party trays had been made and the appetizers had been prepared. The meatballs were simmering in what Victoria hoped was the right sauce. Norman watched her flit around the kitchen checking a sauce here and putting something on the tray there. She was wearing a pair of lucky charm pajamas and a tank top with one strap that kept slipping off her shoulder. Norman wondered if he had time to play with her before the guests arrived. He walked up behind her grabbing her around the waist and pulled her to him grinding his erection into her cleft.

"Norman, I love you but I don't have time for this" said Victoria plainly.

"I'll be fast I promise. Besides you still need to change or are you planning on wearing this?" said Norman pulling the strap down on her tank top revealing a breast.

He bent his head and licked the exposed nipple. Victoria thrust her breasts forward clearly begging for more attention.

"Alright, but we have to make it quick" said Victoria breathily.

"Done" said Norman.

The pair ran up the stairs as fast as they could divesting themselves of clothing on the way. Tumbling into bed they quickly worked to bring each other to completion. Collapsing on the bed a few minutes later in a sweaty heap they were both smiling sappily at the ceiling when the doorbell rang.

"Do you think if we just didn't answer the door they would just go away?" asked Norman.

"It's probably one of your brothers so they would just let themselves in" replied Victoria. Sure enough as if on cue they heard the door open and the sound of a voice calling out to them. Norman quickly got up and dressed taking a moment to fix his hair before heading downstairs. Victoria took a quick shower and dressed before walking down to greet her guests.

Walking into the kitchen she was delighted to see that Norman had pulled the appetizer platters out of the oven and the fridge and set them on the table. Victoria pulled a bottle of champagne out of the fridge and popped the cork. She poured a glass for herself, Louise, June and Sver.

"Everything looks wonderful" said June.

"Yes, and the smell of meatballs is delicious" commented Sver.

"Thank you, the recipe was a bit of a challenge to decipher, but I think I managed to get it right" said Victoria.

"Well Sver is the ultimate judge" said Louise.

Victoria just nodded then went over to speak to Edgar and Sig. She knew that Louise was still upset that she hadn't agreed to throw the meatball recipe.

"Elf, everything looks delicious" said Edgar.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

Norman walked up behind her and gave her a tender kiss on the cheek before pulling her away from his brothers.

"Excuse me, apparently I'm needed elsewhere" said Victoria.

"Not so fast" said Edgar grabbing her arm. "Norman, you can't warn her about what's going to happen, it's not fair to anyone else."

Norman abruptly let go of her arm and sighed.

"I love you" he whispered in her ear.

"I love you too Norman" said Victoria her voice belaying her confusion.

"Come with me Victoria, I have something for you to do" said Sig.

Victoria just nodded and followed Sig into the living room where everyone was now assembled. The party had gotten slightly larger and Victoria waved happily to Phil, Jake and Josh who were already seated in the living room. Alexis and her sister sat on the arms of the sofa looking at her expectantly. Victoria felt distinctly wrong footed, she had no idea what was expected of her. Sig came around behind her and set his hands on her shoulders.

"Victoria is about to become the newest member of our family. It's been a long time since we've had a new member. It is our tradition to welcome people into our clan by claiming them as our own by bestowing on them a Norwegian name. Many of us have considered long and hard about what we will call Elf. We decided to make it simple and use the nickname she already has. Therefore I present to you Alva, our little elf" said Sig.

Everyone applauded at the end of Sig's speech and Victoria smiled shyly at everyone. Her nickname was certainly not the worst one she'd ever had, in fact it was actually a very pretty name. Later in the evening everyone was sitting down at the table and Victoria served her meatballs. She sat in silence as Sver took her first bite. Everyone else had already dug in and proclaimed the meatballs delicious, but their opinions didn't mean anything to Victoria. Only one opinion mattered and that one was Sver's. She looked almost pensive as she chewed as if enjoying the completely stressed look on Victoria's face.

"Victoria, it's wonderful, the best version yet" said Sver.

Victoria positively beamed at the praise and studiously avoided looking in Louise's direction.

The rest of the party went along flawlessly. Later Sver quietly asked to speak to Victoria alone. Victoria walked her into the study and installed her into one of the comfy chairs. Sver studied Victoria for a few minutes in silence then finally began to speak.

"Alva, you've made such a good impression on our family. Norman loves you very much and so does everyone else I imagine. There is a very good friend I want you to meet, I value her opinion very much. I'd like you to come with me to visit her tomorrow after church" said Sver.

"Of course. I'd be honored to meet your friend" said Victoria.

"Excellent. Perhaps you'd be so kind as to pick me up around 11. We can go for tea" said Sver. "Wear something smart."

Victoria walked back into the kitchen and refilled her glass of champagne. She'd just taken her first sip when Louise and June walked into the kitchen wanting to talk.

"So what did Sver want?" asked Louise.

"I'm going to meet her friend tomorrow" said Victoria.

"Netta?" asked June.

"She didn't say a name" said Victoria.

"It's got to be her. So Victoria, since you didn't throw the meatball thing, I want you to throw the meeting with Netta" said Louise.

"That's fine. Although I warn you I won't be rude to her or anything. But I won't stun her with my winning personality" said Victoria.

"That's fine" said Louise.

Victoria walked away from the kitchen in search of better conversation. She hoped that throwing the contest wasn't a huge mistake.

The next day Victoria picked up Sver promptly at 11am, she was wearing a very prim and proper dress. Norman had told her that the dress made her look even more sexy because he knew what was underneath it. Victoria had just scowled at him then changed into another dress before eventually changing back. Sver and Victoria arrived at a very fancy retirement community and walked inside. Victoria was introduced to a very Nordic looking woman.

"Victoria, this is Netta. My oldest and dearest friend" said Sver.

"It's very nice to meet you" said Victoria gently shaking Netta's outstretched hand.

"Where are your people from dear?" asked Netta.

"She's an honorary Norwegian" said Sver quickly.

"Sver, let the child answer for herself" chided Netta.

"I'm not sure where my people come from. My parents died when I was little" explained Victoria.

"Oh, and they never discussed it with you?" asked Netta suspiciously.

"Nope" said Victoria.

The trio sat down for tea and Victoria offered to pour out. Netta seemed to smile as Victoria poured the tea.

"Where did you learn to pour?" she asked.

"In finishing school" said Victoria.

"Well, I suppose that's nice for those who can afford it" said Netta.

"My guardian sent me to a lot of schools, cooking school, finishing school, dance school and others" said Victoria.

The moment the words were out of her mouth Victoria regretted it. The next hour was spent listening to Netta infer that she was some sort of spoiled brat from a less than stellar family background. In fact even if Louise hadn't asked her to throw this test it would have gone horribly anyway. Her complete inability to tell Netta where her family had come from made her some sort of horrible charlatan in Netta's book. In the car on the way home Sver was silent. Victoria felt that she'd completely failed this test and yet she didn't feel bad at all. There was nothing she would have done differently, with the exception of poisoning Netta's tea.

"Well Victoria, I'm sorry that didn't go as well as it could have" said Sver as Victoria stopped at her home.

"Yes, well I suppose there is nothing that could have been done" said Victoria.

"It's too bad that you don't know where your family is from" said Sver.

"Yes, it's too bad that my parents died when I was too young to appreciate the importance of knowing my complete family history" said Victoria tightly.

Sver looked slightly shocked and quietly got out of the car. Victoria watched as she got safely into the house then sped away.

The moment Sver walked into her house she dialed Sig at home. She was very very worried about Victoria. The phone rang a few times and then went to voicemail. Sver immediately hung up and called Sig's cell phone.

"Hi mom" answered Sig.

"Sig, I think I hurt Victoria's feelings today" said Sver.

"How?" asked Sig.

"We went to visit Netta today for tea and because Victoria doesn't know where her people come from I think Netta was a little hard on her. Then on the way home I said that it was too bad she didn't know her history. And she said something about it being too bad that her parents were killed before she could ask them. She sounded a little upset" explained Sver.

"Oh mom, I'm sure she's fine" said Sig soothingly.

"If you think so. She seemed upset" said Sver.

"Well she's probably tired of all the tests" said Sig reassuringly.

"Ok, if you think so" said Sver.

"I do, and just to make sure I'll call Norman tonight and make sure." said Victoria.

"Thank you Sig" said Sver.

"Bye mom" said Sig.

Sig hung up the phone and turned to June who was sitting next to him. He explained the whole situation to her then waited to hear her response.

"Louise asked her to throw the meeting" said June.

"What? Why?" asked Sig.

"Because she wouldn't throw the meatball test" explained June.

"Well I suppose that's probably why she seemed upset, just to fail the test" said Sig pensively.

"Sure" said June.

Victoria drove around for almost an hour before deciding that she had enough of the whole test thing. She loved Norman however if this was how his family was treating her before she was even part of the family when they were suppose to be extra nice to her imagine how they would treat her after they were married. Victoria just got angrier and angrier until she finally broke. Deciding that she was completely over these tests specifically and frankly over the Hansen family in general she drove to the only other place she knew of in Seattle. Pulling up at Phil's house she walked to the door and knocked.

Josh had been sitting on the couch playing X-box when he heard the knock at the door. He wondered who the hell was knocking at his dad's door. Contemplating not even answering it he finally decided that he was curious and got up. He opened the door pleasantly surprised to see Victoria. But once he looked closer he saw that she was visibly upset.

"Victoria, what happened?" he asked.

"I" was as far as she got before bursting into tears.

Josh immediately pulled her into his arms and into the house. He maneuvered her towards the couch and sat her down. He just held her until the tears subsided.

"Sorry, I think I got snot on your shirt" said Victoria.

"It's ok" said Josh. "You can get bodily fluids on me anytime."

Victoria just smiled at his comment.

"I think I want to go home" said Victoria.

"I can call Norman, I'm sure he wouldn't mind coming to pick you up" said Josh.

"No, I want to go back home to LA. I'm tired of all these stupid tests and feeling inferior because I don't know where my family came from" said Victoria.

"Has it really been that bad?" asked Josh.

"Yes. And I'm not even done yet. I haven't even got to the part where they make me eat the herring" said Victoria.

"I don't think they make you eat it, just bite the head off" said Josh helpfully.

"Who cares, I shouldn't have to do any of this. I love Norman but apparently that isn't enough. Well guess what I've had enough and I'm out" said Victoria her voice rising to almost a shout at the end.

"When do you want to go back to LA?" asked Josh. He was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

"Now. Tonight. I'll just leave all my stuff at Norman's, he can just deliver it to me later" said Victoria.

"I'm sure he will want to see you, listen to why you are leaving" said Josh.

"I don't care" said Victoria.

"You can't go by yourself" said Josh.

"Then come with me" said Victoria.

"I'd love to but my dad's not home and I'm watching Gizmo" said Josh.

"Just bring her with us" said Victoria.

"You are going to go whether I go with you or not aren't you?" said Josh.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"Fine, give me a minute to pack a bag and call my dad" said Josh.

"You have 15 minutes" said Victoria.

"Ok" said Josh as he quickly walked out of the room.

Josh walked upstairs and picked up the phone. He immediately called his dad telling him that Victoria was at the house and she wanted to go back to LA. Phil told Josh to keep Victoria at the house and to call Norman.

"Dad, if I can't keep her here then do you want me to take Gizmo with us or not?" asked Josh.

"Josh, are you going to LA with her?" asked Phil.

"Yes, she wants to drive and is probably warming up the car right now. I don't want her to go alone" said Josh.

"Fine, if she won't stay then take Giz with you. If anything it will be a reason for her to come back" said Phil. "Don't forget to take Gizmo's dishes and food."

"I will" said Josh.

"Call Norman before you make any decisions" said Phil.

"Bye dad" said Josh.

Josh stared at the phone, he really didn't want to call Norman. He didn't know what to say to the guy. Victoria was upset and it was Norman's fault, why should he tell him where she was and that she was hurting. With a sigh Josh decided to do the right thing and dialed Norman's cell number.

"Hi, this is Norman. Leave a message."

"Norman, it's Josh Harris. I have someone important to you here, she's really upset. Victoria is going back to LA tonight and I'm going with her. I'll try to stall her as long as I can but I think she's pretty determined. Call my cell or try hers."

Victoria was pacing the living room while eating a piece of meat she found in the fridge. Gizmo was at her heels waiting for something to fall out of her mouth. Josh walked downstairs with a duffle bag.

"Are you ready to go?" asked Victoria.

"Almost, I have to get Gizmo's stuff" explained Josh. "What are you eating?"

"A piece of steak. I found it in the fridge" said Victoria.

"If you're hungry I can make you something" offered Josh.

"This is fine. I really just want to go" said Victoria.

"Ok, let me get Giz's stuff together and we can get out of here" said Josh.

Victoria resumed her pacing and Josh walked into the kitchen to get the bowls and food. Less than 10 minutes later Victoria and Josh were in the car with Gizmo seated in Victoria's lap.

**Please read and review.

A/N: I used Edgar in a bridesmaid dress because of ewab's story. It was an inspiration.


	21. Chapter 21

**Thanks for all the reviews, I love reading them.

Sig and June arrived home after an afternoon of shopping. They quietly walked into the house and started to put away their purchases.

"Lets invite Norman and Victoria to dinner tonight" suggested June.

"Sounds good, I'll call Norman now" replied Sig getting out his cell.

"Hello?" answered Norman.

"Hey Norm, it's Sig. June and I wanted to invite you and Victoria to dinner tonight."

"She's not here" said Norman.

"What do you mean she's not there?" asked Sig carefully.

"Yeah, I got home from running a few errands and she wasn't here. Usually she leaves a note but not today. I'm sure she will be home later. She had that tea date with mom earlier" said Norman his voice unconcerned.

"Did you check your voicemail? Maybe she left a message" said Sig.

"No I haven't. I'll do that when we hang up. I don't think we have plans for tonight so count us in for dinner" said Norman.

"Alright Norman, we will see you in a little while" said Sig then hung up.

The phone rang less than a minute later and Sig picked it up.

"Yeah Norman."

"She's gone. I got a message from Josh saying he was going with her to LA" said Norman in a rush.

"Slow down Norman. When did he leave the message?" asked Sig.

"About 5 hours ago" said Norman.

"Well the farthest she could have made it is Oregon. Call Josh and ask him what's going on" suggested Sig.

"What the hell could have happened?" asked Norman.

"June and I will be right over" said Sig.

Sig and June hurried into the car and sped off towards Norman's house.

Norman sat at the kitchen counter staring sadly at his cell phone. He'd tried to call both Josh and Victoria multiple times but only reached their voice mails. He was getting angrier by the minute. He wanted to call his mom and ask her what happened but something stopped him. He'd just picked up the phone to try again when the cell rang.

"Hello" he said.

"Norman, it's Josh" whispered the voice.

"Is Victoria with you?" asked Norman.

"Yes, she's taking Gizmo out to pee" said Josh quietly.

"Where are you guys?" asked Norman.

"We are just south of Portland" said Josh. "I've been trying to make her turn around, she's really upset."

"What happened?" asked Norman.

"Crap, she's coming back. I'll call you back in a little while. I'm going to try to take her to dinner" said Josh then quickly hung up the phone.

Norman looked at the phone in his hand completely dumbfounded. He was certainly going to have to figure out what was going on. Fortunately for him Sig chose that moment to arrive. He didn't even bother to knock just walked in the front door with June following in his wake.

"Norman, did you get a hold of her?" asked Sig.

"No, but Josh just called. He said they are just south of Portland" answered Norman.

"Wow, I thought she would have made it farther" said Sig.

"Josh has been trying to convince her to come back" said Norman. "What happened?"

"She had a bad meeting with Netta" replied June.

"With Netta? She loves everyone" said Norman.

"Well, Louise asked her to throw the interview" admitted June.

"Why?" asked Norman.

"Because she wouldn't throw the meatball test" said Sig.

"Jesus, she was right about the tests turning into a huge competition between wives and that someone was going to get their feelings hurt" said Norman more to himself than the others.

"I remember when the tests got to me. I went for a weekend away with my friends. I'm sure she will feel better soon" said June reassuringly.

"When did you feel bad about the tests?" asked Sig.

"After the 5th one, the one where Edgar followed me around all day asking me about our sex life" said June.

"Sounds like she's still bitter about it" said Norman.

"How many tests has Elf done anyway?" asked Sig.

"I have no idea" said Norman.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes trying to figure out how many tests Victoria had completed.

"I estimate at least 10" said Norman.

"She deserves a break from them" muttered June.

"I would have taken her on a vacation if I knew she was upset" said Norman sadly. "God, I should have just married her in Vegas. What if she changes her mind?"

"Norman, don't worry about it. Lets go pick her up" suggested Sig.

"Sig! This girl needs a break from all things Hansen. Leave her alone, she will come back when she's ready" snapped June.

"What if she doesn't" asked Norman.

"She will, she loves you" said June tenderly.

Victoria hustled Gizmo back into the car, this was their 5th potty break for the dog. Josh kept insisting that the dog had to pee, yet Victoria walked her all over kingdom come and the dog didn't let out so much as a piddle.

"Hey, lets go to dinner" said Josh.

"I'm not hungry" said Victoria.

"You know that Full Sail Brewing Company is around here" said Josh leadingly.

"Really? I love their beer" said Victoria her whole demeanor perking up.

"Yep, I just found it on the GPS" said Josh pointing to the map.

"Awesome, lets go" said Victoria.

They made their way to the restaurant and once they pulled into the parking lot Victoria's face fell.

"What's wrong?" asked Josh.

"What are we going to do with Gizmo?" said Victoria.

"Oh yeah" said Josh. After a moment he smiled. "Take her in your purse, you know like Paris Hilton does."

"What? Are you crazy? This bag is Coach" said Victoria.

"She'll be fine. We just took her to the bathroom" said Josh. "Besides we either take her in the bag or we don't go at all. She can't stay in the car."

"Fine, but if she so much as sheds in this bag you are buying me another one" said Victoria.

The next few minutes were spent cleaning out Victoria's bag, placing all non essential items in the trunk and installing Gizmo and her blanket in the purse. Once Gizmo was inside the bag Victoria picked it up and swung it over her shoulder. She and Josh walked into the brewery and took a seat at a window booth. The sky was starting to pink slightly and Victoria enjoyed the view for a few minutes before taking a look at the menu. She ordered a taster set of all the beers and a bowl of clam chowder while Josh ordered an Amber Ale and some hot wings. The beer taster came and as the server explained all the beers Josh watched as Victoria's beer snobbery reared it's head she asked the guy all about each of the beers. Finally the server just smiled and said he had someone he was sure Victoria would love to meet. A minute later the brewer came out to make the acquaintance of a very intrepid female. Victoria and Josh were treated to a special tour of the brewery. Jaime the brewer and Victoria kept up a steady stream of conversation and Josh realized that Victoria seemed to be in a much better state of mind. He couldn't tell if it was from the conversation or from the beer, but either way she was much happier. Josh excused himself to head outside for a cigarette. Once he was outside he was going to call Norman, however Victoria appeared a moment later and let Gizmo out of her bag to do her business. She leaned over and plucked the cigarette out of Josh's hand taking a drag and then replacing it in his mouth.

"Jamie said there are a bunch of really cool breweries in Portland" said Victoria. "I think we should get a hotel room and check them out."

"Cool" said Josh.

He was secretly thankful they weren't going to be going any further south today. Portland was much closer to Seattle than LA. They went back inside and finished their food and beers before Victoria got a bunch of addresses from Jaime before heading out.

They checked into the Hotel Vintage Plaza and got settled into their room. Josh was fairly certain that the guy at the desk was fairly suspicious of Victoria's whining purse, but thankfully he didn't say anything. Once in the room Victoria quickly marked the breweries on the map and they headed out again. Josh was begging for Victoria to go to the bathroom or leave him alone for 5 minutes so he could call Norman, but so far it just wasn't happening. After the third brewery Josh forgot all about calling Norman. Josh and Victoria eventually ended up back at the hotel both fairly trashed.

"Victoria, when did Gizmo go pee last?" asked Josh.

"Just now on the way back to the hotel" said Victoria.

"Good. She needs her water and then we can call it a night" said Josh laying back on the bed.

"I'll get it" said Victoria.

She fished the bowl of our Josh's bag then walked unsteadily to the bathroom where she filled the bowl. She spilled half of it on the way into the other room and managed to set it down on the floor in front of a very confused Gizmo.

"All done" said Victoria.

Josh went into the bathroom and changed into some pajama pants and a t-shirt. He walked back into the bedroom to find Victoria in only a pair of skimpy underwear looking through his bag.

"Do you need something Victoria" said Josh trying very hard not to look at her boobs.

"A shirt or something to sleep in. I didn't bring anything with me" said Victoria.

Josh reached into the bag and handed her a Cornelia Marie shirt. Victoria slipped it over her head and crawled into the bed. Josh looked awkward for a moment then climbed into the bed next to Victoria. She snuggled up against him rubbing her hand across his chest a few times before her hand fell still. Josh looked down and saw that she was fast asleep. He gave her a kiss on the top of the head then closed his eyes.

Norman hadn't moved from his perch in the kitchen, he compulsively opened and closed his phone as he waited for Josh to call back. June had left earlier but Sig had insisted that he stay with his brother. Sig was currently half asleep at the kitchen table. Norman's phone rang and both he and Sig jumped at the sound.

"Hello?" answered Norman.

"Hey Norman, It's Josh. Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you" said Josh.

"Is Victoria ok? Where are you now?" asked Norman.

"We are in Portland. We went to a few of her favorite breweries. I figured it was good way to keep her in town. We are staying at the Vintage Plaza hotel. Tomorrow morning we'll head back home" said Josh.

"How do you know she'll be willing to come back?" asked Norman suspiciously.

"Because I'm going to tell her my dad wants Gizmo back" said Josh.

"Good plan. Thanks for taking care of her" said Norman.

"Yeah no problem. She really loves you, I think she just got a little frustrated by everything" explained Josh.

"I promise to make it up to her when she gets back" said Norman.

"Ok dude. I'll call you when we get back" said Josh before hanging up.

Norman filled Sig in on everything Josh had said.

"Well, how are you going to make it up to her?" asked Sig.

"I have an idea, but we are going to need a lot of help" said Norman with a sly smile.

Norman spent the next few minutes explaining his idea to Sig.

The next morning dawned cloudy in Portland. Victoria was woken to an insistent tongue licking her face. Her eyes cracked open and she was immediately accosted by a very excited Gizmo.

"Good morning to you too" said Victoria narrowly escaping a dog tongue in her mouth. "Josh your bitch wants to go out"

"What?" asked Josh rolling over to face Victoria.

"Your bitch" said Victoria pointing to Gizmo "wants to go out."

"She didn't wake me up, she woke you up" said Josh.

"Fine" said Victoria. She stood up and Josh got a glimpse of her underwear before the shirt settled over her thighs.

"Put some pants on" said Josh with a smile.

In response Victoria pulled the shirt over her head and slipped back into her dress. Then she and Gizmo headed down to the lobby and outside for a morning constitutional. The second she was out the door Josh picked up the phone and dialed his dad.

"Hey Josh. How's Vicks?" answered Phil.

"She's taking Gizmo out to the bathroom" said Josh.

"Hey, I got a call from Norman this morning. It seems a plan is afoot. He would like you to get her back here around 2 this afternoon. Do you think you can handle that?" asked Phil.

"Sure, I'm going to tell her you want Gizmo back" said Josh proudly.

"Whatever works. Take her somewhere to get her hair done or a massage or something" said Phil.

"Why?" asked Josh.

"Because she needs to be relaxed as possible when she arrives" said Phil.

"Oh really. Again why?" asked Josh.

"Joshua, I don't want to tell you in case she tries to torture information out of you" said Phil.

"I wouldn't tell her" said Josh defensively.

"Right" said Phil clearly not believing his eldest son.

"Whatever. I'll have her back by two" said Josh hanging up the phone.

"Have who back by 2?" asked Victoria walking in the door.

"Gizmo. That was dad, he wants her back" answered Josh smoothly.

"I don't want to go back" said Victoria sadly.

"I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some breakfast" said Josh trying to change the subject.

"Lets go to Voodoo Donuts, then I can drown my sorrows in a Nyquil donut" said Victoria with a pout. The duo headed out to the infamous donut shop.

Norman was sitting in his living room with his family and his extended Northwestern family. He was outlining his plan to marry Victoria on the Northwestern at sunset.

"Any questions?" asked Norman after he'd finished explaining the plan.

"Um, yes" said Louise. "Does she want to get married on a boat?"

"I don't think she cares where we get married, she just wants to" said Norman.

"She says that, but I'm sure she has an idea of what she wants" said Louise.

"We've talked about it, she said she wanted to do it here, keep it small" said Norman.

Louise looked skeptical.

"It's true, she told me the same thing the other day" added Sig.

"Then have it here, why do you need to have it on the boat?" asked Louise.

"Because, then Sig can marry us" explained Norman.

"Ah, do you have a marriage license yet?" asked June.

"Yes, we got it last week" said Norman.

"What about a dress?" asked Louise.

"I don't think she has one" answered Norman.

"I know what kind she wants" chirped Alexis.

"Really?" asked Norman clearly surprised.

"Yes, we talked about it when we went shopping for my prom dress" said Alexis.

"Alright Alexis, I'm putting you in charge of getting her wedding dress" said Norman handing Alexis his credit card.

"I know just what to get" said Alexis happily.

"Anything else?" asked Norman.

"I think we've got everything" said Jake.

"Alright, then lets go, we've got a wedding to make happen" said Norman clapping his hands together.

"Look out JLo another wedding planner is on the rampage" said Edgar with a smirk.

"Shut up Edgar" said Norman.

The group filed out of the house into their cars all with their own assignments to complete.

After donuts Josh and Victoria walked into a very cute little hair salon where Josh insisted she get her hair done. When Victoria asked him why he said it was his dad's suggestion to make her feel better. Victoria sighed and sat happily in the chair as she got her hair washed and blown out. After that they got into the car and headed back to Seattle. Victoria hoped Phil planned to take her out to a nice dinner because this hair was too banging to waste on an evening at home. Josh watched her through sideways glances the whole way back to his dad's house waiting for any sign of distress. They pulled into the drive way in under three hours and Victoria happily got out of the car. Gizmo raced to the door and before she could even put her little paws up and bark Phil opened the door and grabbed his beloved pooch.

"Gizzy your back" said Phil giving the dog a kiss. "Victoria, you're back too. Your hair looks really nice."

"Thanks" said Victoria happily. She breezed past Phil into his house and immediately stopped. There in his living room was one of her suitcases from Norman's house. Her face fell and tears threatened in the corners of her eyes.

"Victoria, it's not what you think" said Phil.

"What is it then, because it looks like he packed a suitcase for me so I'll leave" said Victoria her voice shaky.

"It's not that, there is something else you should probably see before you start crying" said Phil.

He led Victoria to the doorway of the laundry room. Hanging up was a very large white garment bag from the same shop Alexis had bought her prom dress. Victoria looked at Phil then back at the bag clearly confused.

"Why don't you open it" suggested Phil.

Victoria reached up and pulled the zipper down revealing a white wedding dress. Her hand started to shake as she pulled the dress further out of the bag. It was the dress she'd pointed out to Alexis as the one she'd love to wear if she ever got married. And now it was in her hand, suddenly the whole room seemed to be getting a little fuzzy. She felt Phil's hand on her back and him yell for Josh to help him, then nothing. Victoria woke up the second Josh slapped her cheek.

"Josh, did you just hit her?" asked Phil.

"It woke her up didn't it?" said Josh.

Phil sat Victoria up and pressed a glass of water to her mouth. Victoria took a tentative sip and then looked around at Phil's living room.

"Did I faint?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, but you didn't hit your head or anything" said Phil.

"Well I suppose that's something" said Victoria. "Although Josh slapped me."

"You can slap me back if you want" said Josh.

"Why is there a wedding dress in your kitchen?" asked Victoria.

"Alexis dropped it off for you to wear" said Phil with a smile.

"Why?" asked Victoria.

"Do you think today you can just trust us and not ask too many questions" said Phil.

"No. I don't like surprises" said Victoria.

"Try on the dress" said Phil.

"Fine" said Victoria.

She walked back into the kitchen and Phil pulled the hanger off the doorway and moved it upstairs into the extra bedroom. Victoria walked in and reverently pulled the dress out of the garment bag. Phil stood in the doorway unsure if he should stay or go.

"Can you help me put it on?" asked Victoria.

"Of course" replied Phil.

He averted his eyes as Victoria quickly took off her clothes. Then he gathered the dress and helped slip it over Victoria's head. Placing her arms through the small capped sleeves she turned so Phil could zip up the back. She turned around to face Phil and his breath caught in his throat, she looked beautiful.

"How do I look?" asked Victoria.

"Like an angel" said Phil.

Victoria looked down twisting the dress back and forth watching the skirt move. Phil reached out and grabbed her hand, he lead her through to his master bathroom and closed the door so she could see herself in the full length mirror.

"Wow, it fits perfectly" said Victoria.

"I think there are probably shoes and stuff in the suitcase downstairs" said Phil.

"I wonder if there is a veil?" mused Victoria.

She walked out of the bathroom gathering up her skirt as she went.

Josh looked up the moment Victoria appeared at the top of the stairs, she was a vision in white. He watched as she picked her way carefully down making sure she avoided stepping on her dress. She looked beautiful and not for the first time did Josh wish he'd asked her out sooner. Once she reached the bottom she walked over to the suitcase and pulled it open. Then she settled herself on the floor the dress spreading around her like a flower petal.

"What's in the suitcase?" asked Josh.

"A veil and a tiara" said Victoria giddily.

"Can you help me put it on?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Sure, but I've never actually done that before" said Josh.

"It's ok, I trust you" said Victoria.

Josh knelt behind her and placed the tiara on her head carefully making sure it was straight. Then after a few tries he managed to get the comb of the veil to stay in place. He walked around to the front of Victoria and looked at his handy work.

"How does it look?" asked Victoria.

"Perfect" said Josh his voice soft.

"Thanks for making me come back" said Victoria, her eyes not leaving the carpet.

"I only want you to be happy and Norman makes you happy" explained Josh.

Victoria just nodded and brushed a few tears off of her cheeks.

"You better get all that crying out of the way now. The make up lady has arrived" said Phil.

"Who's that?" asked Victoria.

It turned out that it was Nick's wife. She spent the better part of an hour making sure that Victoria looked flawless. Then she said she'd see Victoria later and scampered out the door. Victoria sat quietly in Phil's living room while Phil and Josh got dressed. Jake came by dressed in a snazzy suit and sat down next to Victoria on the couch after carefully moving aside part of her dress.

"You look like a princess" commented Jake.

"Thanks, I think" said Victoria.

"It was definitely a compliment" said Jake. "You wanna play some xbox before you get hitched?"

"Sure, lets see if I've improved since last time" said Victoria.

It turned out that she hadn't and Jake quickly trounced her.

"Hey it's not nice to beat the bride at video games on her wedding day" said Victoria.

"I couldn't play bad enough to let you win" said Jake unrepentantly.

"Hmph" said Victoria.

"Jake, you made it" said Phil. He walked downstairs with Josh in his wake both were dressed to the nines.

"You guys look great" said Victoria.

"Not as good as you, but that's to be expected" said Phil. "Ready to go? I promised Norman I'd deliver you on time."

The group walked outside and into a waiting limo. It took a little maneuvering but Victoria managed to get in without stepping on her dress or bumping her head.

Norman paced nervously in the wheelhouse of the Northwestern. Phil had sent him a text that they were leaving the house so Norman knew that Victoria was on the way but it didn't lessen his nerves. Louise's question about whether or not Victoria wanted to get married on the boat floated in his mind. His musings were cut short as Edgar came bounding up the stairs smiling like he'd just set something on fire.

"Everything is ready. I've never seen the deck cleaner or smell better" said Edgar.

"Great. I hope she doesn't hate this" said Norman.

"Norman she loves you and for some reason she wants to marry you. She wanted to marry you in Vegas with you in a baby blue tuxedo and her in a little bo peep wedding dress, I'm sure she won't mind getting married on the boat" said Edgar. "Did you tell Phil to have her take one of the seasickness pills?"

Norman's eyes got wide and he immediately pulled out his phone. Edgar snatched it away from him before he could dial a single digit.

"Geez, I was just kidding" said Edgar.

"Norman, did you finish writing your vows?" called Sig from the galley.

"Sig, I told you to just use the ones in the book" yelled Norman.

"Fine, but I think ones from the heart would be better" replied Sig.

"What is he trying to do to me" muttered Norman.

"Hey, how about a little nip of Norwegian courage" said Edgar disappearing down the stairs.

He returned a moment later with three champagne flutes and bottle of Christilano Vodka. He poured a little vodka into each glass and handed one to Norman then yelled for Sig. Edgar handed Sig a glass as soon as he crested the stairs.

"Norman, congrats on getting married. It's about fucking time" said Edgar.

"Norman, you couldn't do any better" said Sig.

"Fuck you both" said Norman.

They all touched glasses and drank back the shot. Norman turned back to look out the wheelhouse windows and saw a long black limo slowly driving down the dock.

"Well, there she is" said Edgar. "No peeking."

Edgar and Sig left Norman and walked downstairs to tell greet the bride to be.

Victoria had a glass of champagne in the limo and hadn't really been paying attention at all to which direction they were going. When the limo came to a slow stop and the door opened her nostrils were assaulted by the smell of rotting fish. She looked at Phil who was closest to the door and quirked an eyebrow. Phil just smiled in response and got out of the limo. Jake and Josh quickly followed and both reached back in to pull Victoria and her dress out. She was temporarily blinded as she emerged in the late afternoon sun. When she was able to open her eyes she realized that she was on the docks and looming immediately in front of her was the Northwestern.

"I'm getting married on the boat?" she asked.

"Yes, elf. And I'm marrying you" said Sig hopping over the rail.

"How am I suppose to get on deck in this dress?" asked Victoria.

"We will help you" said Sig. "You look absolutely gorgeous. Did Lex pick out the right dress?"

"Yes, it's the perfect dress and the perfect fit" said Victoria beaming. "Is she here?"

"Yep, the whole family is here" said Sig.

"Well I guess we should get this party started" said Victoria.

She walked tentatively over to the side of the dock and looked hesitantly down at the deck below. Jake stood next to her holding her hand loosely, Josh did the same on the other side. Sig and Edgar stood on the deck below and held their hands out to Victoria. She let go of Josh and Jake's leaning forward just enough to grab Sig and Edgar's hands. Then in a terrific leap of faith she stepped off the dock and floated rather gracefully down to the deck. Jake and Josh jumped down right after her narrowly missing stepping on her dress.

"All the girls are waiting inside to help you do whatever else you need to do" said Edgar.

"Ok" said Victoria. She took a few tentative steps on the deck in her shoes and smiled when she didn't immediately fall on her ass. She slid through the galley taking a moment to swipe a shrimp from one of the platters.

"Hey no snacking" said Matt teasingly.

"Hi Matt, did you make the food?" asked Victoria.

"Nope, it's catered" said Matt. "But I picked it all up, so I'll take the credit. You look absolutely amazing."

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"The girls are all in Norman and Edgar's bunk. Good luck fitting in there though" said Matt.

"No kidding, this dress is huge" said Victoria.

"It's perfect and you look perfect in it" said Matt.

"Victoria, stop talking to Matt and get in here" called June.

"Well, duty calls" said Victoria with a sigh.

June and Louise pounced on Victoria the minute she walked in the stateroom. They brushed down her dress making sure it was lying right, then touched up her hair and makeup.

"You look breathtaking" said June.

"Absolutely beautiful" said Louise.

"The dress looks amazing on you" said Alexis.

"Thanks for picking it out for me Alexis, it's just what I've always wanted" said Victoria.

"You're welcome" said Alexis.

"Ok, now down to business" said June. "These are a pair of diamond earrings that Sig gave to me on our 25th anniversary. These are your something borrowed."

She put the earrings on Victoria. Next Louise handed her a blue garter and a necklace that matched the earrings.

"These are from me, something blue and something old. We've all worn the necklace on our wedding day, it's yours now and you will give it to the next woman to be married. I'm sorry if I let this whole competition thing go to far. You are a new sister in our family and I should have treated you better" said Louise contritely.

"Thank you Louise and I should have been a little tougher skinned about the whole test thing" said Victoria giving Louise a hug.

"Now all we need is something new" said June.

"Well, the dress is new" suggested Victoria.

"That's true. But Norman got you something new too" said June handing Victoria a box.

Victoria tore open the box and looked inside. There starring back at her was a key and a note.

_Victoria,_

_I love you so much and in the tradition of giving something new I want to give you this key as a symbol of our new life together._

_Love with all my heart and for all my days,_

_Norman._

Louise handed Victoria a few tissues and then carefully helped her reapply her smudged eye makeup. Then the ladies said their good lucks and good byes and Victoria was left alone in the stateroom. She took the key out of the box and tucked it into the hem of her wedding dress. Victoria had just sat down on Norman's bunk when Sig walked through the door.

"Hi Sig" said Victoria.

"Wow Elf, you look wonderful. Are you allowed to sit down in that thing?" asked Sig.

"It didn't come with directions, so I assume I can" said Victoria.

"Funny. I'm here because I want to talk to you about your vows" explained Sig.

"Well,I can't say I'm really prepared for this" said Victoria. "But I think I can tell Norman how I feel."

"Ok. It's going to be a regular ceremony, by the book" said Sig waving a small book.

"How many weddings have you performed?" asked Victoria.

"This will be my first one" said Sig. "But I've been to quite a few."

"On boats?" asked Victoria.

"No, this will be my first wedding on a boat" confessed Sig.

"Well it's my first wedding on a boat too so I guess we're even" said Victoria.

"Have you taken your seasickness pills?" asked Sig.

"No, should I have?" asked Victoria.

"Well, you got pretty sick last time you were on this boat" said Sig.

"True, but I don't think we are going to be out on the bearing sea and my appendix is already gone so today I think I'll be ok" said Victoria.

"Let me know if you start feeling sick, I'm sure we have something on the boat that will help" said Sig.

"Ok" said Victoria.

"Well, we are going to take off now, so just sit tight and someone will come get you when it's time" said Sig.

"Alright, I'll see you later" said Victoria.

The moment Sig left Victoria settled back on the bunk and slipped on the blue garter she'd been holding. She'd just got it on when Sver walked into the room.

"Victoria, I'm so sorry about yesterday" began Sver.

"It's in the past. I love Norman and he loves me and that's all that matters" said Victoria.

"I have something I want you to use today" said Sver handing Victoria a ring. "It was Norman's father's and I know you didn't have a chance to get Norman a ring. I think he would be honored if you used it."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, this means so much" said Victoria.

"Don't cry and smudge your make up dear" said Sver. "Thank you for making my son so happy."

Victoria could only nod in response.

Norman was sitting in the port side chair watching Edgar steer the boat out towards open water. He heard all the ladies chatting in the galley about how wonderful Victoria looked and how excited she seemed. Those few words did wonders for Norman's frayed nerves.

"Norman, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second" said Phil from the stairs.

"Sure" said Norman.

"I just wanted to say congratulations and tell you that if you ever hurt her I'll kill you" said Phil.

"Thanks for the congratulations and I won't ever hurt her. Not because of you but because it would kill me to see her upset" said Norman.

Phil nodded and then shook Norman's hand before pulling him into a hug.

"Don't worry Phil, we will keep a sharp eye on Norman, make sure he's treating Victoria like the goddess that she is" said Edgar.

"Good" said Phil.

"Dad, did you give him the talk about taking good care of her?" asked Josh walking up the stairs.

"Yes, just did. Now I'm going down to give the same talk to Victoria" quipped Phil.

"Good luck" said Edgar.

Phil knocked on the stateroom door and was immediately bid entry. Victoria was seated on the bunk reading through an old GQ magazine. Her face brightened as she saw Phil walk in and sit next to her.

"Hi Vicks" he said.

"Hi Phil, how's everything going out there?" asked Victoria.

"Fine, I think we are close to the spot" said Phil. "I wanted to have a little chat with you."

"I already know about what to expect on the wedding night" said Victoria cheerfully.

"I'm sure you do" said Phil knowingly. "I just wanted to tell you that any marriage is work but marriage to a fisherman is twice as hard because you will spend a lot of time alone."

"Do you have any sage advice?" asked Victoria.

"Well, I suppose it would just to remember to make as much as you can with the time you spend together, every minute is precious" said Phil.

"Thanks" said Victoria pensively.

There was a knock at the door and Josh poked his head in to tell Victoria it was time. Phil rose to leave and felt her hand on his arm.

"Would you give me away?" asked Victoria.

"Never, but I'll walk you down the aisle" said Phil.

"Good enough" said Victoria.

Out on the deck Norman stood with Sig and Edgar fidgeting nervously in front of his family and friends. His eyes were trained on the door waiting for Victoria's arrival. He was vaguely aware of the rocking of the boat as it sat idle in the water. He saw the handle of the door move and suddenly there she was being walked out by Phil. The moment she stepped over the doorway Jake started the music. Norman however heard nothing, all he could concentrate on was how beautiful Victoria looked and the realization that in a few minutes she would be his wife.

"Norman, don't forget to breath" said Edgar poking him lightly in the ribs.

Norman let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding and quickly took another one. Suddenly Victoria was there standing in front of him and Phil placed her soft hand is his.

"You look beautiful" said Norman.

"I can't believe you did all this" said Victoria. "Thank you."

"Family and friends we are here today to join together this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony" said Sig before pausing. "Norman this book is crap. I'm going off the cuff."

"Sig, just stick to the book" said Norman warningly.

"Fine" replied Sig. "Marriage is not to be taken lightly it is a job just like any other, but both Victoria and Norman are hard workers. In fact I'm sure that Victoria already has a list going on how she's going to make this marriage last forever. Life is a journey and now instead of going alone they will be able to drive in the carpool lane."

Norman gave Sig a meaningful look and Sig just nodded.

"Now Norman will tell Victoria his wedding vows."

"Victoria, I didn't want to write my own vows, but when Sig said that you were going to do it, I thought I would at least try" said Norman clearing his throat. "I Norman take you Victoria to be my wife, my friend and my constant companion. I promise to be loving and kind, to be patient and understanding. I promise to love and honor you as long as we both shall live."

"Ok Victoria your turn" said Sig.

"I Victoria take you Norman to be husband. To honor and cherish you in sickness and in health when you are home and at sea. I promise to take care of you, to listen more than I talk and to love more than I judge. I give you my heart knowing that you won't break it and I give you my soul knowing that you will care for it more than your own. This is my solemn vow."

"Wow, that was great Elf. You know this wedding was a surprise and she just came up with all that" said Sig. "Ok, where are the rings."

Edgar handed Sig his ring and Victoria produced the ring Sver had given her. All three brothers just looked at it in shock.

"Where did you get this?" asked Sig.

"Your mother gave it to me" said Victoria.

Sig merely nodded and turned his attention back to the book.

"Repeat after me" began Sig. "Victoria, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion it has no end and neither will my love for you or my commitment to this marriage."

Norman repeated the the vow as he slid the wedding ring onto Victoria's finger. Victoria repeated the same vow and slipped Norman's father's ring onto his finger, it was a perfect fit.

"By the power vested in me by being the captain of this vessel and the certificate I printed out from the internet I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride" said Sig.

Norman did just that to much applause from the assembled guests.

The reception was quite a party and everyone enjoyed themselves. Victoria danced with every man and woman there and by the end of the evening she was exhausted. As they toured around the bay she sat quietly in a little nook smoking a cigarette and watching Alexis and Norman dance. She could see the twinkling lights of the dock coming into focus and realized that her wedding day was almost over. She was interrupted from her thoughts by Edgar.

"Elf, you shouldn't be sitting on that in your dress, it's going to get dirty" he said.

"It's already dirty from people stepping on it. I'll get it dry cleaned and it will be fine" said Victoria.

"I just wanted to say thanks for making my brother the happiest guy on the planet" said Edgar.

"You're welcome" said Victoria.

"Edgar, stop harassing my wife" said Norman walking up to the pair.

"You just like saying wife" said Edgar.

"It has a nice ring to it" replied Norman. "So Mrs. Hansen are you enjoying your wedding?"

"It's everything I didn't even know I wanted" said Victoria happily. "Never in my wildest dream did I think this day would be so amazing."

"I love you" said Norman bending down to give Victoria a searing kiss. "And I can't wait to get you home."

A while later the boat pulled up at the dock and Victoria and Norman climbed into the limo. By the time they got home they were both exhausted but Norman insisted on carrying Victoria over the threshold.

A/N: Next Chapter a wedding night and a honeymoon. Please read and review.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I'm so please that so many of you like this story. This chapter was strangely hard for me to write, perhaps I'm suffering from a bit of writers block. So I apologize if it's a little shorter than normal.

**The following chapter contains adult content.

Norman carried Victoria all the way up to the bedroom and set her down just inside the doorway. The bedroom was filled with candles and the bed was strewn with rose petals. There was a bottle of champagne and two glasses sitting on the dresser. Victoria walked over to the bed where a silk nightgown was laid out on the pillow.

"Did you do all this?" asked Victoria.

"No, this was all June and Louise" said Norman.

"It's beautiful. We will have to send them a thank you card later" said Victoria.

"Much later" said Norman.

He walked up behind Victoria and slid the zipper of her dress down. Carefully removing it from her body he laid it over the back of a chair. Victoria moved to slip on the new nightgown but was stopped by Norman.

"Why don't you save that for another time" said Norman.

"As you wish" said Victoria. She tossed the nighty on top of her wedding dress and turned back to Norman wearing nothing but a smile.

"You look beautiful" said Norman.

Victoria just smiled in response and carefully began removing Norman's suit. Her nimble fingers made short work of the buttons and before long Norman was naked. They fell together on the bed in a tangle of limbs.

Norman leaned down and covered Victoria with his body. Kissing each other passionately they came together, feeling connected in every sense. Their lovemaking was fierce and passionate and when they finally reached their completion they collapsed on the bed both falling into a deep sleep.

The next morning Victoria woke up and spent the first few minutes admiring her wedding ring. She was so enraptured by the jewelry she didn't even realize that Norman had woken up and was watching her with interest.

"Do you like the ring I chose?" he asked startling Victoria from her revelry.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"I like mine too, although I can't believe that my mom gave it to you" said Norman.

"She said that your dad would have wanted you to have it" said Victoria.

"He would have loved you" said Norman quietly.

"You really think so?" asked Victoria.

"Definitely" said Norman. "So are you ready for your honeymoon?"

"Yes, where are we going?" asked Victoria excitedly.

"It's a surprise, but you are going to need your passport" said Norman.

"What type of clothes should I pack?" asked Victoria.

"Just throw some stuff in a suitcase, maybe a nice dress and some casual outfits" suggested Norman.

"Are you packed?" asked Victoria.

"No, I thought we could do it together" said Norman.

"Well when are we leaving?" asked Victoria.

Norman looked over at the clock "in about 3 hours" he said.

Victoria jumped up and started pulling out her suitcase. Clothes went flying out of the closet landing in a pile next to the suitcase. Norman just sat back and enjoyed watching Victoria's naked body scurrying around the room. It took Victoria less than an hour to get everything packed and into her suitcase. Then she hopped in the shower only to be joined by Norman as soon as the water got warm.

"Norman, did you pack yet?" asked Victoria.

"Not yet, I thought I would help you wash your hair" said Norman.

"Oh really?" asked Victoria suspiciously.

Norman just nodded and squirted a glob of shampoo into his hand. He turned Victoria around and threaded his fingers through her hair rubbing in the shampoo. His slippery hands slid down the nape of her neck to her shoulders then further down her back to her bottom. Victoria obligingly spread her legs and Norman knelt down on the shower floor and washed her lower limbs before shifting her under the spray to wash off the soap. When she was rinsed he leaned forward and placed a kiss on either thighs. Victoria smiled down at Norman as water sluiced off her body. Norman turned her around placing her hands against the shower wall and bending her slightly at the waist. Testing her readiness he entered her in one firm thrust. Reaching around her body he teased her nipples while thrusting deep inside her. Victoria kept up a steady stream of encouragement while she plucked at her clit. Norman felt her pulse around him and followed her over the edge. After their shower Victoria dressed quickly then helped Norman to pack his suitcase.

Edgar arrived at the house a little while later anxious to take them to the airport. He walked into the house surprised to find Victoria and Norman in the kitchen drinking some coffee and eating eggs. Victoria served him a plate and a cup of coffee.

"So did you guys get any sleep last night?" asked Edgar with a leer.

"Some" said Norman with a smile. Edgar and Norman gave each other a fist bump while Victoria rolled her eyes.

"Well at least she's not walking funny" said Edgar.

"Are you finished?" asked Victoria.

"Never" said Edgar.

Victoria went upstairs to finish packing her bag while Norman pulled out the plane tickets.

"Have you told her where you're going?" asked Edgar.

"Nope, it's a surprise" said Norman.

"You do know that she doesn't like surprises" said Edgar.

"She'll find out when we get to the airport" said Norman.

"So do you need me to do anything while you're gone?" asked Edgar.

"Just bring in the mail and maybe eat some of the food out of the fridge if you think it's going to go bad" said Norman.

"Cool" said Edgar.

"And pick us up from the airport when we get back" said Norman with a smile.

"I can't believe that Sig agreed to let you take a week off before Red Crab" said Edgar.

"Well I'll only get married once" said Norman.

"True" said Edgar.

"Well, are we ready to go?" asked Victoria as she reappeared in the kitchen.

"Well aren't you an eager beaver" said Edgar.

"It's not everyday one gets to go on a honeymoon" replied Victoria.

"In that case lets go" said Edgar.

The ride to the airport was uneventful and when Edgar dropped them off at the curb he shook Norman's hand and gave Victoria a kiss on the cheek. Victoria and Norman walked into the airport with their two suitcases and headed to the ticket counter.

"Good morning, checking in?" asked the agent.

"Yes" said Norman handing over the paperwork.

"I'll need to see your passports" said the agent.

Norman and Victoria handed over their passports and watched as the agent scanned them into the computer and printed out their boarding passes. Victoria watched in interest as she slipped the luggage tags onto their checked baggage. The tags read FCO and Victoria was at a complete loss as to where they were going. Norman watched her face waiting for the look of realization however when it didn't appear his smile got even wider. The agent handed Norman the tickets with a smile.

"Enjoy your trip" she said.

Victoria and Norman made their way through security. Norman held the tickets the entire time making sure to keep them turned away from Victoria's searching eyes. He knew the moment they got to the gate she'd know where they were going, but he couldn't help but enjoy keeping her in the dark.

Victoria walked up to the gate and stopped when she saw which gate they were heading to. They were going to Italy, specifically Rome. She turned to Norman and gave him a huge kiss.

"What was that for?" asked Norman.

"Because I love you and we are going to Rome" said Victoria. "How did you know I wanted to go to Rome?"

"I remember you asking someone for an Italian Villa as a bonus for being the Deadliest Catch assistant" said Norman.

"I'm so glad you remembered" said Victoria.

Norman and Victoria boarded the plane and took their seats in first class. They sat back and happily ate and drank for the first half of the flight. Then Norman started to tease Victoria while she was snuggled under the thin airplane blanket. At first he didn't do anything but lay his hand on her knee, but then it started to move higher, eventually sitting right in the crux of her thighs.

"Norman, what do you think you're doing?" hissed Victoria.

"Having a little fun with my wife" said Norman with a smile.

"People are going to see us" whispered Victoria.

"Well we could always move this somewhere else" smirked Norman.

"Yeah, like our room when we get to Rome" said Victoria hopefully.

"I was thinking somewhere closer" said Norman.

"No way. I'm not having sex in an airplane bathroom" said Victoria.

"What? I'm horrified that you would even suggest that" said Norman.

"That's what you were talking about" said Victoria.

"I never said anything like that" said Norman innocently.

"Whatever" said Victoria turning towards the window.

Norman waited a few minutes before slipping his hand underneath the blanket again. This time Victoria closed her legs trapping his hand between her thighs. Norman wiggled his fingers until Victoria's legs opened slightly. His fingers slipped under the elastic of her underwear flicking gently over her nether lips. Victoria's legs opened a little more giving Norman more access to her body. Norman teased her clit before slipping one finger inside her moving it gently back and forth. After a few more minutes of teasing Victoria stood up abruptly and walked towards the first class bathrooms turning over her shoulder and crooking her finger calling Norman after her. He waited a moment then stood up and followed her. Norman walked into the bathroom barely fitting inside of the tiny space. Victoria sat down on the closed toilet seat and opened Norman's fly carefully extracting him. She wrapped her lips around his hardening cock and began to move back and forth. When he was fully hard Victoria stood up and knelt on the toilet seat flipping her dress up and sliding down her underwear. Norman needed no further instruction and immediately entered her. Both tried to stifle their moans as they careened towards orgasm. They had just finished when the airplane hit a pocket of turbulence. Victoria flew forward and hit her head on the wall while Norman went sideways whacking his elbow on the sink.

"Oh my God, lets get back to our seats before we die in the airplane bathroom" said Victoria. "I refuse to be found in the wreckage without underwear on."

"Good plan, I think I need some ice for my elbow" said Norman.

Victoria and Norman emerged from the bathroom together and quickly walked back to their seats. The flight attendant appeared a moment later with an ice pack for Norman and a glass of champagne for Victoria.

"Congratulations" said the flight attendant.

"Thank you" said Victoria blushing bright red.

The rest of the flight was completely uneventful.

A few days later Sig and Edgar were sitting in Norman's kitchen eating leftovers that Edgar had determined could go bad. They'd been discussing the upcoming fishing season, specifically which day they would be heading up to Dutch Harbor and who would be the one to take the crew and the boat up. Usually Sig would fly in and either Norman or Edgar would sail the Northwestern the 2000 miles from Seattle to Dutch. This year Edgar wasn't really interested in sailing up and was sure that Norman would be more than happy to take the boat up. Sig was completely doubtful since Norman would probably still be in honeymoon mode but Edgar was insistent.

"We should just call him" said Sig.

"No, trust me he's willing to do it" said Edgar.

"Fine, I'll just call him to make sure" said Sig taking out his phone. He dialed the number and waited patiently for Norman to pick up.

In a beautiful villa on the outskirts of Rome Victoria and Norman were enjoying a rather late glass of wine on the balcony when his phone rang. He walked in to find it then returned outside.

"It's Sig" said Norman. "I hope everything is ok."

"You should answer it, just in case it's something important" said Victoria.

"Hello?" answered Norman.

"Norm, it's Sig. You're on speaker phone with me and Edgar."

"Is everything ok?" asked Norman his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, we just had a question about taking the boat up to Dutch" said Edgar.

"You called me on my honeymoon to ask me a question about fishing?" asked Norman his tone belying his anger.

"Well it is important" said Sig.

"Probably not as important to me as it is to you two" said Norman.

Victoria had dropped to her knees in front of Norman and began working on his belt, soon she had his pants around his ankles and his cock in her mouth. Her mouth quickly engulfed him causing him to moan out loud.

"So anyway Edgar says that you are going to take the boat and crew up to Dutch this year" said Sig.

"Dude are you moaning?" asked Edgar.

"I don't want to take the boat up" said Norman his voice breathless.

"Come on dude, I did it last year" whined Edgar.

"We both went up together last year you iiiiidiot" moaned Norman.

Edgar and Sig both looked at each other then back at the phone sitting on the kitchen counter between them.

"Yes, well I was hoping you'd take one for the team and just take it up this year" said Edgar.

Victoria moistened her finger and was tracing it around Norman's ass. She slipped just the tip inside and felt Norman tighten in response.

"You can't put your finger there" blurted out Norman causing Victoria to smile and redouble her efforts.

"What did you just say?" asked Sig.

Victoria's finger slipped past his inner ring and soon found his prostate. She stroked it and sucked on him with abandon then pulled back.

"Don't stop, please" begged Norman.

"Alright Norman, well it was nice talking to you. Tell Victoria we said hello" said Sig blushing.

"No, don't go. I want to know where the finger is?" yelled Edgar as Sig ended the call. "Oh my God, what do you think they were doing?"

"Edgar, shut up" said Sig.

Back in Rome Norman had just spilled into Victoria's mouth and she swallowed every drop. He collapsed back into a chair trying to catch his breath.

"So, what did they want to ask you?" asked Victoria innocently.

"I don't even remember" said Norman.

"Do you think they knew what was going on?" asked Victoria a smirk crossing her face.

"I'm probably going to hear about this phone call for the rest of my life" said Norman. "But it was worth it."

Victoria and Norman finished their wine and retired to the bedroom where Norman spent the rest of the night feasting on Victoria.

The rest of the honeymoon passed in a blur of sex and a little bit of touring. Norman and Victoria flew home a week later and were picked up at the airport by a very excited Edgar.

"So you two how was the honeymoon?" asked Edgar.

"Wonderful" replied Victoria with a dreamy voice.

"Yeah, well how's your finger Victoria?" asked Edgar with a smirk.

"Fine. Why? What would be wrong with it?" asked Victoria.

"Well from what we heard on the phone you clearly had it lodged somewhere in Norman, I just wanted to make sure he didn't bite it or something" said Edgar.

"He didn't bite it" said Victoria stifling a laugh.

"Edgar, can we just drop the questions about the honeymoon" begged Norman.

"Uh no" said Edgar.

"Victoria are you walking crooked from all the sex you had?" asked Edgar.

Victoria just slapped Edgar on the chest in response then got into the car. The ride home was filled with Edgar's questions however neither Victoria or Norman dignified them with a response. When they finally got back to the house Norman and Victoria collapsed on the couch.


	23. Chapter 23

**Thank you for all the reviews I love them!!

It was a few days before the Northwestern was scheduled to leave Seattle. Edgar and Norman had decided that they would do the same thing they'd done in years past and both ride up to Dutch on the boat. Victoria had spent most of the last week showing Norman how much she was going to miss him. In fact they'd just finished up such an encounter when the phone rang. Victoria leaned over and knocked the phone off the cradle twice before finally gripping it in her hand.

"Hello" she answered breathlessly.

"Elf, it's Sig. Let me talk to Norman."

"Hi to you too" said Victoria before handing the phone to Norman.

"What's up Sig?" asked Norman.

"Nick's wife is having surgery tomorrow, he's not going to make it up for King until the first offload" said Sig.

"What's wrong with his wife?" asked Norman.

"Kidney stones, she's going in for surgery tomorrow and will probably be out of the hospital the day after, but Nick wants to stay home and help with the kids and make sure she's ok before he heads up" said Sig.

"Well, if it's only for the first trip we should be able to work with just 4 guys on deck, we use to do it all the time" said Norman.

"Norman, you know how spoiled we've been since rotating 5 on deck" said Sig.

"Well I know that none of us want to hire from up there, I have no interest in training a greenhorn" said Norman.

"I feel the same way, one Junior is enough" said Sig. "There is someone else I was thinking of."

"Oh really? Who?" asked Norman.

"Elf. She could just work the bait station and help Matt out with the cooking" said Sig.

"I thought you said you didn't want to train a greenhorn" replied Norman.

"We already trained her on the last trip. It's only for one trip and that way the rotation will go easier on you guys" said Sig.

"I don't know Sig, I'd feel better if she was here safe and sound" said Norman.

"She'll be fine. Besides I would think you'd jump at the chance to see her everyday" said Sig.

"Why is it so important that she go?" asked Norman.

"I need another body and I think it's easier to take someone who already knows the plan and she's family" said Sig.

"I'll ask her then call you back" said Norman.

"Fine" said Sig hanging up.

"What was that all about?" asked Victoria.

"How would feel about filling in for Nick for the first trip of Red Crab?" asked Norman.

"What's wrong with Nick?" asked Victoria concerned.

"His wife is having a few kidney stones removed tomorrow and he's going to stay with her to help out with the kids" explained Norman.

"He's such a good husband" said Victoria with a smile.

"Yes he is, but that wasn't the point of the story" said Norman.

"Why would you want me to go?" asked Victoria.

"Sig wants you to go because you know how the boat works, he basically said you'd do bait and help Matt cook. We'd only be out for a few weeks" said Norman.

"Sure, I'll do it. I really don't have anything lined up right now" said Victoria.

"I'll tell Sig" said Norman.

Two days later Victoria was waving goodbye to the other wives as the Northwestern pulled away from the docks. June and Louise had given her firm instructions to keep a sharp eye on their husbands. Louise asked specifically for Victoria to make sure Edgar didn't set himself on fire and June asked the Victoria try to make Sig eat more than chocolate and coffee. Victoria agreed to do her best, but that in no way was she going to spoon feed Sig or take away Edgar's toys for fear of reprisal. Matt and Jake were thrilled by the idea that the pink raingear would be making a reappearance on deck. As the Northwestern passed through the locks Victoria sat on deck with Edgar as he attempted to fabricate something for the bait table.

"So Elf, have you ever used a blow torch?" asked Edgar.

"Just to make Creme Brulee" replied Victoria.

"I love that dessert" said Edgar. "Do you think you could make it on the boat? We have the blow torch."

"I could probably make it, the only thing I'd need to buy in Dutch is vanilla beans and fresh eggs" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"I request that for the first night out dessert" said Edgar.

"Roger" replied Victoria.

"Hey you finally got the lingo down" said Edgar.

"I've been practicing" said Victoria with a smirk.

"Yeah I bet that's all you've been doing all summer" said Edgar leeringly.

Victoria rolled her eyes and walked inside.

Norman and Matt were sitting in the galley playing cards and from the pile of money in front of Matt it seemed Norman was loosing. Victoria slid into the seat next to Norman and snuck at look at his cards.

"Are you here to bring him luck?" asked Matt.

"He's going to need a lot more than luck by the looks of it" said Victoria.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence" said Norman.

"I want to play the next hand" said Victoria.

"Where's your money?" asked Matt.

"How much do I need?" asked Victoria.

"Oh I'll eventually take it all it just depends on how much you want to loose right now" said Matt.

"Hmm, how about I'll play one hand and instead of money I'll bet who's making dinner tonight" said Victoria.

"Deal, in fact you can play 2 hands with those stakes" said Matt.

Norman dealt out the cards and immediately folded. Victoria looked at him and he just shrugged in response. The hand played itself out and eventually Victoria showed her cards and slid the money to her side of the table. Matt quickly dealt out the next hand not even bothering to give cards to Norman. He was determined to win his money back. Victoria won the next hand and the one after that and by the time Matt had the sense to quit he'd lost all the money he'd won from Norman. Victoria smiled and slipped the bills into her pocket before walking to her stateroom.

The crew eventually made it to Dutch Harbor and got the boat loaded and prepped for Red Crab. The Discovery crew was at the dock waiting to load the filming equipment when they arrived. Victoria and Matt were in charge of the galley and they worked together loading all the food into the boats refrigerators, freezers and cupboards. Victoria took a quick trip to town to get vanilla beans and fresh eggs for Edgar's dessert. Sig flew in 2 days before the season officially started and spent those days pouring over charts with Norman and Edgar. Matt, Victoria and Jake worked to get the pots loaded on deck and get them patched and ready to fish. Re-stringing the pots was Victoria's job and she made quick work of it. Norman walked out of the wheelhouse door and looked up to see Victoria sitting on top of the stack stringing a pot. She looked completely relaxed like she was doing some sort of craft project. Matt was loading a pot with the hydros and Norman's breath caught in his throat as Matt set the pot down almost on top of Victoria. Victoria for her part didn't even flinch merely stood up and helped to shift the pot into position then used the ties draped around her neck to secure it in place before going back to what she was doing before.

"She's starting to look like a real fisherman" remarked Sig.

"Yeah, hopefully she won't want to do it as a profession" said Norman.

"I doubt she will" said Sig pointing to Victoria who was wiping bird poop off of her shoulder with a disgusted look on her face.

"Hey Elf, that's suppose to be good luck" yelled Edgar.

"It's still bird poop" countered Victoria.

"Yeah, suddenly I'm not so worried" said Norman.

Norman took over on the hydros and a few hours later all the pots were stacked on board. Victoria stayed on the stack with Matt and Jake until the last chain was tightened.

Victoria stood in the engine room wearing protective ear protection while Edgar inspected the boats main engines. He'd occasionally point to a tool and Victoria would dutifully hand it to him. Edgar was keeping up a steady stream of conversation more to himself since Victoria couldn't hear a word he was saying. She just smiled and nodded at what she hoped were the appropriate times. Eventually Edgar's inspection was complete and he and Victoria emerged from the engine room onto the deck.

"Elf, you can take the earphones off" said Edgar.

"I don't know I kind of like them on" said Victoria with a smile.

"Take them back down there for the next time we go down there" said Edgar.

Victoria did just that and emerged a moment later. Edgar passed her a lit cigarette which she gratefully accepted.

"So are you ready to head out tonight?" asked Edgar.

"Yep" said Victoria.

"On this trip lets try to avoid any coastguard rescues ok?" said Edgar.

"I'll do my best" said Victoria.

"I suppose that's all we can ask for" said Edgar.

"So what time are we actually going to leave?" asked Victoria.

"That is up to Sig" replied Edgar. "But I imagine it will probably be around 10 or so."

"So what do we do next?" asked Victoria.

"Once we get closer to the grounds we'll start doing bait, but for now just make sure everything is ready to go when the captain is" said Edgar.

"In that case I'm going inside" said Victoria.

"Don't have sex on my bunk" said Edgar suddenly.

"Too late" said Victoria with a smirk.

Edgar threw his lighter at her which she deftly dodged laughing the whole time.

The Northwestern left port a few minutes before midnight. Victoria and Norman sat in the wheelhouse watching the Northwestern pull slowly away from Dutch Harbor. Sig and Norman had been discussing where they planned to drop the test pots while Victoria just sat in the chair feeling slightly sick. Finally she couldn't take it any more and went downstairs to get her anti-nausea medication. She didn't even make it past the galley before she had to hurry to throw up in the sink. Next she made the journey to the bathroom where she knelt down in front of the toilet and quickly deposited her meals.

"Hey Elf, lets go outside. I've got a bucket for you" said Edgar.

He helped Victoria to stand and led her carefully outside where he installed her into a chair and placed a bucket on the floor in front of her. He sat down in the chair next to her and placed a cool hand on the back of her neck

"Do you want me to get Norman?" asked Edgar.

"No, don't move your hand it's making me feel better" said Victoria.

She managed to take a few deep breaths before she threw up again. This time Edgar's other hand came up to hold her forehead. The comfort of his two hands holding her head made her feel better and eventually she was able to sit up.

"Feel better?" asked Edgar.

"Yeah, but I need to brush my teeth" said Victoria.

"If you are going to brush them do it out here because chances are the second that toothbrush goes in your mouth you are going to start barfing again" said Edgar. "Trust me I know."

"Ok" said Victoria.

"Are you ready to go inside?" asked Edgar.

"Yeah." said Victoria quietly.

She stood up and rocked a little bit so Edgar put his arm around her waist to steady her before guiding her inside. He led her to the stateroom, helped her pull off her deck boots and tucked her into bed. Victoria slept the rest of the night, not even noticing when Norman came to bed a few hours later.

The boat arrived at the fishing grounds 14 hours later. Sig, Norman and Edgar had read every chart, consulted every fish and game survey and finally decided where to set their first test pots. Victoria and Jake had spent the last 4 hours making bait set ups. Matt, Norman and Edgar appeared on deck informing them that they were going to start dropping pots.

"Elf, you are going to be the masterbaiter this trip, so stay out of the way of the pots until the door is open. Got it?" asked Edgar.

"Roger" said Victoria.

"Alright, lets go to work" said Edgar.

Norman walked over to Victoria and gave her a kiss.

"Have a nice day at work honey?" said Norman.

"You too dear" said Victoria smacking Norman on the ass.

The crew quickly fell into a rhythm of baiting and dropping pots. Victoria couldn't believe how tight the workspace on deck was with so many pots on board. She baited the pots as quickly as she could trying to keep the bruising to a minimum. For the most part Victoria was feeling better, although she was still occasionally feeling sick at least she wasn't actually throwing up. She made sure to stay out of the way when the pots were moving and hours later the first test string was in the water. Victoria and the guys headed inside where Matt had made Norwegian meatballs and rice. Victoria ate heartily helping her to seconds and thirds.

"Well it's nice to see we aren't going to have to force feed you this trip" said Matt.

"It's delicious" said Victoria taking a huge sip of milk.

"She's just making up for all the food she threw up yesterday" added Edgar.

"Hopefully she won't throw up this meal" said Sig.

"No kidding it will probably be a huge mess" said Jake.

"If you are all finished making fun of me, I'm going to take a nap" said Victoria.

"I'll tuck you in" said Norman.

The two disappeared down the hallway and into the stateroom.

"So Edgar, what are you going to do for the next 20-30 minutes" asked Matt with a huge grin.

"Beat you at cards" replied Edgar.

"You're on" said Matt.

Victoria and Norman smiled at each other as they closed the door of the stateroom. Without a word they quickly stripped off their clothes. Norman was on Victoria in a moment spreading her out on the bed and leaning down to taste her. Sucking on her clit he quickly pressed two fingers into her tight channel causing Victoria to moan loudly.

"Keep it down unless you want an audience" said Norman.

Victoria stuffed her fist into her mouth in an effort to muffle her moans. Norman waited until she was on the edge of orgasm before entering her. She was tight and wet and her internal muscles were massaging every inch of him. As he bottomed out a moan escaped him.

"Unless you want an audience, I suggest you keep it down" said Victoria.

Norman responded by snapping his hips forward causing Victoria to grunt.

"That's a sexy sound, lets see if I can make you do it again" said Norman with a wicked gleam in his eye.

Norman alternated between long slow strokes and quick hip snaps. Victoria almost had her whole fist crammed into her mouth trying to block out the noises she was making. Finally Norman couldn't hold out and reached his fingers down to play with Victoria's clit while slamming into her as hard as he could. Victoria came with a muffled cry and Norman with a satisfied grunt. After taking a moment to catch their breaths both Norman and Victoria got dressed and crawled under the covers.

Out in the galley the guys played poker for another hour before they turned in. Edgar carefully walked into the stateroom his nostrils immediately assailed by the smell of sex. He punched Norman in the arm to wake him up.

"What is it?" Norman asked sleepily.

"No more sex, it smells like you shot a porno in here. If I'm not getting any you can't have any either" said Edgar angrily.

"Go to sleep Edgar" said Norman.

Edgar gave him a final punch in the arm before climbing into his own bunk and going to sleep.

Victoria woke up a short while later desperately jonesing for some chips, specifically Cool Ranch Dorritos. She carefully climbed over Norman taking care not to wake him and slipped out the door. She padded barefoot down the hallway and into the galley. Once inside she searched the cupboards for the box of snack sized chips. She figured they must be in the dry storage section so she slipped into Matt and Jake's room to search. She tried her best to be as quiet as possible but when she failed to find what she was looking for she got frustrated and kicked a can of coffee on the ground.

"Elf, what are you doing in here?" asked Jake groggily.

"Looking for chips" answered Victoria.

"Why?" asked Jake.

"Because I'm hungry" said Victoria.

"Well could you look for them a little quieter" said Jake.

"Sure" said Victoria.

She silently felt through all the dry goods finally coming upon the huge box of lunch size chips. She carried the box carefully to the kitchen then tore open the packaging and extracted 2 bags of cool ranch chips. Sitting down at the table she ripped into the bags scarffing down the chips with reckless abandon. She got herself a glass of water to wash down the chips then returned to bed leaving the box of chips on the floor of the galley.

A few nights later it happened again. This time Victoria really wanted cookies, specifically fresh baked cookies. So at 3:30 am she pulled down everything needed to make cookies and whipped up a batch for herself. She'd just pulled the trays of baked cookies out of the oven when Sig appeared in the kitchen looking slightly irate.

"What the hell are you doing?" asked Sig.

"Making cookies?" replied Victoria.

"It's 3:30 in the fucking morning, why are you making cookies? Did you loose a bet or something?" asked Sig.

"No, I just really want them" said Victoria.

She pulled a cookie off the baking sheet and passed it between her two hands to try to cool it off before popping it in her mouth. She pried another cookie off the sheet and offered it to Sig who grudgingly took it.

"Well don't just stand there bring the rest up to the wheelhouse" barked Sig as he climbed the stairs.

Victoria quickly put the cookies on a plate, grabbed herself a cup of coffee and walked up to the wheelhouse.

In the wheelhouse Victoria took her seat on the desk behind Sig's captain's chair. She set her cup on the shelf taking extra care to make sure it wasn't going to spill before grabbing a cookie and stuffing it into her mouth.

"What's up with all your eating?" asked Sig.

"Nothing. I'm just hungry" said Victoria.

"At 3:30 am?" asked Sig.

"Yes" replied Victoria taking another cookie.

"Give me another one of those before you eat all of them" said Sig.

Victoria reluctantly gave Sig 2 more cookies before eating another one and taking a sip of her coffee.

"Jake told me about your middle of the night search for chips the other day" said Sig casually.

"I'm working hard out there, I deserve to eat whatever I want" said Victoria defensively.

"Of course you can, it's just weird that you are waking up to eat very specific things. Hell you just spent 45 minute baking cookies in the middle of the night. You have to admit that's a little weird" said Sig.

"I admit nothing" said Victoria.

"You know what this reminds me of when Louise was pregnant and made Edgar make her eggs in the middle of the night almost every night he was home" said Sig with a laugh before quieting. "Oh my God you're pregnant."

"What? That's ridiculous, I'm not pregnant" said Victoria.

"Are you sure?" asked Sig suddenly deadly serious.

"I've been taking my pills" said Victoria.

"Yeah, but have you had your you know (insert weird arm movement) thing lately?" asked Sig looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"No, but I take my pills back to back so I don't have one" said Victoria.

"So theoretically you could be pregnant" said Sig.

"I guess theoretically, but I'm not" said Victoria.

"We need to get you off this boat, what if something happens" rambled SIg. "Have you told Norman?"

"About what? I'm not pregnant" said Victoria.

"You don't know that" yelled Sig. "This is why girls should never be allowed on boats."

"You asked me to come on this trip" yelled Victoria.

"Yes, but that's before I knew you were pregnant" shouted Sig.

"I'm not pregnant" yelled Victoria.

"Guys, what's going on?" asked Jake. "I could hear you all the way in the stateroom."

"Nothing" said Victoria.

"Elf is pregnant" said Sig at the same time.

"What?" said Jake his confusion evident.

"Sig, thinks I'm pregnant, but I'm not" said Victoria.

"Why would he think you're pregnant?" asked Jake.

"Because she just made cookies at 3:30 in the fucking morning because she was craving them" said Sig.

"Would you like one" offered Victoria.

"What? No" said Jake. "In fact I'm going to pretend this whole conversation never happened and go back to bed."

"I think that's a great plan" said Victoria hoping off the desk and walking down the stairs.

Sig mouthed the words pregnant to Jake before turning back to the windows. When Jake had walked downstairs Sig turned to Bryan the camera guy in the wheelhouse.

"I want you to keep an eye on her" he said.

"Ok Sig" replied Bryan.

The next day the crew set another few test strings before doubling back to pull the first string. Victoria spent the downtime until dinner taking a nap. Norman woke her a few hours later telling her it was time to eat. Victoria rose slowly feeling as if she hadn't rested at all. Dragging herself into the kitchen she suddenly felt sick.

"Hey Elf, I made your favorite, shrimp scampi" said Matt happily.

Victoria was barely able to make it to the kitchen trash can before she threw up.

"I don't think she has a very high opinion of what you made for dinner" quipped Edgar.

"Victoria, are you ok?" asked Norman rushing to her side.

Victoria just nodded and after taking a few deep she stood up. Edgar handed her a glass of water and Victoria took a tentative sip. After a few minutes Victoria was feeling slightly better.

"Sorry Matt, I don't know what happened" said Victoria apologetically.

"It's ok, I'll save you a little in case you feel like eating later" said Matt.

Victoria just nodded slowly.

"Well Elf, since you aren't eating you can take over wheel watch upstairs" said Sig.

Victoria nodded again and headed up to the wheelhouse. Once up there she got comfortable in Sig's chair and watched as the boat cut it's way through the Bearing Sea.

Matt walked up a little while later with a small bowl of plain pasta.

"Hey Elf, you should eat a little something" said Matt handing her the bowl.

"Thanks, I'll try" said Victoria.

Victoria slowly ate the contents of the bowl then sat back with a sigh. She set the bowl down the console and picked up the pack of cigarettes. She lit one then immediately put it out the taste and smell of it making her ill. Sig came up a while later and took back his chair. Victoria went back to her stateroom to lay down again before they started pulling pots.

Out on deck the crew was halfway through pulling the first string of the season. So far the numbers were less than stellar and the pots were being stacked back on deck. With no bait needed Victoria spent her time at the sorting table.

"Victoria, come throw the hook. See if it will bring us some more crab" called Edgar.

Victoria walked over to the rail and picked up the hook. The next set of buoys came into view and Victoria managed to snag them on the third try. Edgar showed her how to put the rope in the block, get the buoy bags on the deck and the rope in the coiler. Sig basically had to stop the boat completely for this lesson and showed his displeasure by continually ringing the buzzer. Victoria practiced her throwing skills on the next 5 pots before her arm started to hurt and her throwing went to hell.

"Nice work Elf" said Edgar giving her a high five.

"Thanks" replied Victoria.

"Hey, watch out. It's going to be getting a little dicey out" said Sig from the wheelhouse. Minutes later the waves began pouring over the side of the boat. Victoria for the most part stayed near the sorting table only venturing out to throw the undersized crabs back into the ocean through the chute. She was just pushing a tote over when a huge wave washed over the side of the boat all but swamping the guys at the rail. She noticed that Edgar was still holding onto the pot and as the boat dropped down the wave he was swung up off his feet. Without a second thought Victoria bolted over and grabbed Edgar around the waist holding him until he let go of the swinging pot. As he let go he tumbled back on top of her landing on her with a grunt.

"Oh shit, I think you just saved my life" said Edgar clambering off of Victoria.

"You're welcome and you have an incredible bony butt" said Victoria.

"Are you ok?" asked Norman.

"Fine" replied Victoria. She allowed Edgar to pull her to her feet then went back to the tote to finish what she was doing.

"Elf, when you are finished come up to the wheelhouse" called Sig over the hailer.

Victoria finished dumping the crabs then tidied up the sorting table before going inside.

Victoria appeared in the wheelhouse unsure of what to expect. Sig was sitting in his chair writing down the crab count from the last pot so Victoria sat down on the bench and waited. He marked something on the plotter then turned to face her.

"What do you think you were doing down there?" asked Sig, his voice quiet and serious.

"I thought Edgar was going to go over the side so I grabbed him" said Victoria.

"Victoria, you could have been hurt" said Sig.

"I wasn't going to let Edgar get hurt" said Victoria.

"I understand, but" began Sig.

"But nothing, he would have done the same for me" said Victoria.

"He isn't pregnant" said Sig.

"Neither am I" retorted Victoria.

"I think you are and I think you should be more careful about what you do on this boat. If I had my way I would have you choppered off this boat right now" said Sig.

"I'd love to hear what the coast guard would say to that call" said Victoria. "Especially when it turns out not to be true."

"Well until you can prove that you're not pregnant I want you to behave" Sig put his hand up to forestall Victoria's rebuttal. "Behave meaning taking care of yourself like you are pregnant" said Sig.

"I can prove to you I'm not pregnant. I just need a few days" said Victoria.

"Oh really? How do you plan to do that?" asked Sig

"I'll just stop taking my pill and then I'll start my period" said Victoria simply.

"Fine, if you can prove you're not pregnant then great. Until then..." said Sig.

"Until then nothing, you can't set some sort of rules for me. I'm not your child, I'm your sister in law and your employee" said Victoria.

"You are my family and I care about you. I don't want anything to happen to you" said Sig seriously.

"I don't think I'm pregnant. I don't want you telling Norman that you think I am because he's probably going to freak out or be disappointed to find out I'm not" explained Victoria.

"He would be thrilled if you were pregnant and if you're not then I'm sure he would be happy too" said Sig.

"I know" said Victoria dropping her head.

"There are only a few pots left in this string, why don't you go down and make everyone something to eat. Maybe some of that tomato soup you made last time" suggested Sig.

"Ok, I'll call you when it's ready" replied Victoria.

She walked down to the galley and immediately set to work making lunch. She was happy to have something to keep her mind off of everything and just concentrate on cooking.

Victoria did as she promised and stopped taking her birth control pills. She was confident that her period would start within the week. The boat was on the crab and all the pots were in the water, it had become a turn and burn operation. Victoria did her best to keep up, but the work was exhausting and the hours of backbreaking labor were taking it's toll on her. She was still throwing up every once in a while, but her eating at odd hours of the night and sensitivity to smells had gone. In fact other than being completely exhausted she felt fine. Sig hadn't said another word about her being pregnant although the furtive looks he gave her during meals told her he was still concerned. When the first week passed with no period Victoria was surprised. Victoria had expected Sig to ask her about her status but he never mentioned it. She thought it was because he trusted her but in reality Sig already knew. The camera guys surreptitiously watched Victoria day and night and what they didn't catch Jake would. Sig was given a full report on Victoria every single day. He knew she hadn't started her period because Bryan said the box of tampons in her bag was still unopened. Sig had talked to June who told him in no uncertain terms to leave Victoria alone. If she was pregnant there was nothing to be done. Sig had argued with her over that point, but June had explained that even if Victoria was home in Seattle the only thing she'd do differently is take a daily prenatal vitamin. Sig had finally reluctantly agreed to keep quiet on the subject.

The front tanks were full and the crew was working around the clock to fill the back tanks in time for their first offload date with the processor. Although the numbers were steady it would still be tight to make it on time. Victoria had gotten to try almost every job on deck with the exception of the hydros. Edgar had offered to teach her, but she'd flatly refused saying that she sucked at games like tetris and that was how she saw working the hydros. The weather was calm and the tanks were slowly filling and as dawn broke over the bearing sea the deckhands of the Northwestern were treated to a beautiful sunrise.

"Just another beautiful day at the office" said Edgar for the camera.

Norman walked over and took Victoria's hand leading her over to the cluster of chairs. He sat down first pulling Victoria into his lap.

"How are you feeling?" asked Norman quietly.

"I'm fine" replied Victoria.

"Good, I was a little worried you might have the stomach flu or something" said Norman.

"Nope, I think the worst is over" said Victoria laying her head on his shoulder.

"Hey you two, save it for when we get back to town" said Edgar.

Norman flipped Edgar off before rubbing Victoria's back tenderly. They heard Sig announce the next pots were coming up. Norman nudged Victoria and her eyes fluttered open.

"Sorry, just taking a little nap" said Victoria with a sleepy laugh.

"You've been really tired on this trip" said Norman. "Maybe you are coming down with something."

"I feel fine, just tired which shouldn't be too surprising since we've been working 17 hours straight" said Victoria.

"Very true and I guess you just aren't as use to it as the rest of us" said Norman.

"Come on you two, the pots aren't going to pull themselves" said Edgar.

It took another 5 days to fill the back tanks but once they were topped off to Sig's satisfaction the boat headed into town. As was the tradition steak and shrimp were on the menu for dinner. Victoria and Matt worked together to make a spectacular feast. Once the table was set and everyone in their places Victoria placed the platters on the table. Everyone served themselves heaps of shrimp, steak, veggies and rice. Everyone except Victoria who could barely stomach the sight of shrimp for some reason.

"Elf, why aren't you eating the shrimp. You made it so you can't not like what's in it" said Matt.

"I know, but it just doesn't look very appetizing for some reason even though I know it's delicious" said Victoria.

"It is, are you sure you don't want a bite?" asked Norman offering a piece to Victoria from his fork.

"No, I think if I eat it I might get sick" said Victoria.

"I'm sure it's normal, June said that you might have some food aversions" said Sig.

Conversation came to a sudden halt, the cameras all swiveled to get reaction shots from Norman and Victoria. Victoria's face was full of blind fury and Norman looked incredibly confused.

"Why would she have a food aversion?" asked Norman.

Sig didn't respond he just shifted his gaze to Victoria.

"Why is he looking at you?" asked Norman to Victoria.

"Because he thinks I'm pregnant" said Victoria.

"Norman, way to go" said Edgar clapping his brother on the back.

"How long have you known?" asked Norman. "Did you know before we got on the boat?"

"I don't know if I'm pregnant, I haven't taken a test or anything. And I never even suspected anything until Sig put the idea in my head during the trip" said Victoria.

"When were you going to tell me?" asked Norman his voice barely above a whisper.

"I have nothing to tell, I have no concrete proof one way or another" said Victoria.

"But you talked to Sig about it and not me" said Norman his voice betraying his hurt feelings.

"Norm, to be fair I confronted her about it she never voluntarily talked about it to me" said Sig.

"But you think it's true that you could be pregnant?" asked Norman.

"Honestly, until a few days ago I didn't think it was possible at all. I stopped taking my pills last week to see if I'd start my period but it hasn't started yet. I've taken my pills this whole time, I don't see how I could be pregnant, but I guess it's within the realm of possibilities" explained Victoria.

"I guess we will just have to wait until we get to Dutch to find out" said Norman.

"Yep, unless you have a pregnancy test on this boat" said Victoria.

"We don't, although perhaps we should put one in the first aid kit just in case it's needed again" said Sig

The rest of the trip to Dutch was fairly uneventful, everyone caught up on their sleeping. Victoria was completely fussed over by everyone including a very tender foot rub from Sig.

A/N: Sorry for a bit of a cliff hanger. Please read and review.


	24. Chapter 24

**Short Chapter, but I didn't want to leave the cliff hanger for too long. Please tell me what you think**

Also, any medical situations are completely figments of my imagination and should not be taken seriously.

The Northwestern arrived at the processor in Dutch Harbor on time for their offload. Victoria was roused from sleep when Norman got up but instead of following him out of bed she merely rolled into the warm spot.

"Norm, just let her sleep" said Edgar quietly.

Norman nodded in agreement and the two brothers disappeared into the hallway taking care to gently close the door. Out on deck the covers of the tanks were being lifted off and everyone looked to see the front tank stuffed with crab. It was a beautiful day and the air was crisp, the sky clear and blue. Victoria appeared a few hours later looking well rested and freshly showered. She whispered something in Norman's ear before climbing up the side of the boat and walking towards town. No one else on deck noticed her disappearance.

Victoria returned to the boat less than an hour later. Sig saw her approaching and was surprised to see her off the boat. Her face didn't seem to show anything but nervousness and he wondered what she'd found out.

"Elf, what's the news? Am I going to be an uncle?" yelled Edgar.

"I don't know yet, I have the test right here" said Victoria waving a paper bag.

"You need to go to the clinic" yelled Sig.

"Why? This is probably the same kind of test they will give me" retorted Victoria.

"NO! Go to the clinic" barked Sig. "I don't want you peeing on a stick in the bathroom I want you to get the real test from a doctor."

"Listen, who do you think you are the pregnancy police?" yelled Victoria.

"Yes. I told you I would leave you alone until we got to Dutch. We're here, now go to the clinic before I pick you up and carry you there kicking and screaming" barked Sig.

"FINE!" yelled Victoria throwing the pregnancy kit which somehow managed to hit Sig in the chest. "Keep that for your stupid first aid kit."

Victoria stalked off down the dock yelling a string of profanities about the stupidity of men.

"Norman, did you want to go with her?" asked Sig.

"Right now I think she needs to cool off" said Norman.

"You're probably right. But if you want to take off later to be with her, let me know" said Sig.

"Roger" replied Norman.

The Dutch harbor clinic was a small clean medical center in the center of town. Victoria walked inside pleasantly surprised at how warm the waiting room was. She shrugged out of her jacket and walked over to the reception area.

"Hi dear, how can I help you today?" asked the lady behind the desk.

"I need to take a pregnancy test" said Victoria quietly.

The lady looked up at her first noticing the lavender Northwestern sweatshirt she was wearing then glancing down at her left hand. A small smile tipped the edges of the woman's lips upon seeing the wedding ring.

"Well then, lets get you to fill out some forms" said the receptionist.

Victoria took the clipboard and walked to a cluster of chairs in front of a TV in the waiting room. She started filling out the inch thick packet of forms and when she was finally finished she walked the paperwork back to the desk.

"Ok, honey. Did you fill out everything?" asked the receptionist.

"Yep" said Victoria.

"Ok, have a seat and someone will call you back" said the receptionist.

Victoria took a seat and picked up a very outdated GQ magazine to read while she waited. An hour later Victoria was shown to a small nurses station in the back where she was given a cup to pee into. Victoria went into the bathroom and filled the cup carefully sealing it and returning it to the nurse.

"Alright, go ahead and sit down here for a second and we will do the test" said the nurse.

Victoria sat down in the chair trying to take deep breaths so she wouldn't pass out because of nerves. Her mind was racing, she didn't know if she wanted to be pregnant or if she was ready for that type of responsibility. She was pulled out of her thoughts by the nurse.

"...ns honey" said the nurse.

"What?" asked Victoria.

"I said congratulations, you're pregnant" repeated the Nurse.

"Are you sure?" said Victoria.

"Yes, I did 2 tests. You can take one home as a souvenir for the baby book" said the nurse with a smile. "Now, when did you have your last period?"

The nurse flipped through the chart until she found what she was looking for. However the smile on her face dropped as she read Victoria's chart.

"This can't be right, I think you filled this part out wrong" said the nurse. "It says here that your last period was last December."

"Yes, I take my pills back to back so I won't have my period" explained Victoria.

"Has anyone explained to you why that's dangerous?" asked the nurse.

"Not that I recall" said Victoria.

"You need to see a doctor now" said the nurse.

Victoria was shown into an exam room and given a paper thin gown to change into. She sat in the room shivering slightly waiting for what she was sure was going to be a lecture from the doctor about inappropriate use of medication. The doctor walked in with the nurse trailing behind him pushing a ridiculously large cart with something that looked like Bob Barker's microphone from the Price is Right sticking out of the top.

"Hi, Victoria I'm Dr. Benjamin" said the doctor.

"Nice to meet you" said Victoria.

"Well I see congratulations are in order" said Dr. Benjamin.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

"Since your last period is not going to help us determine how far along you are we are going to give you a pelvic exam and an ultrasound today" said the doctor.

"Ok" said Victoria nervously.

"Are you going to be followed up here in Dutch for your pregnancy?" asked Dr. Benjamin.

"No, I'm going to go back to Seattle. I was just up here for one trip" said Victoria.

"Were you working on a boat?" asked the doctor.

"Yes, the Northwestern" replied Victoria.

"Well, no more deck work for you while you're pregnant and I wouldn't recommend any trips out on the boat at all. It's too far away from a doctor is something were to happen" explained the doctor.

Victoria simply nodded. She suddenly felt bad about all the arguing she'd done with Sig about his concerns. The doctor leaned Victoria back and pulled her legs into the stirrups at the end of the table. The exam was quickly finished and the doctor announced they were going to start the ultrasound. The nurse pulled out the Bob Barker microphone and slipped a condom on it before smearing it with some sort of jelly. Victoria fully expected the wand to be used on her stomach, she couldn't have been more incorrect. The moment the wand touched her down there she yelped.

"Just relax Victoria" said the Dr.

"Where do you think you're putting that thing?" asked Victoria.

"It's for internal ultrasound" said the doctor reassuringly. "Just relax and we will be able to see your little baby on the monitor."

Victoria took a few deep breaths and tried to relax. The wand was poking around in her and it was making her feel a little sick.

"Ah, there we are" said the doctor.

Victoria opened her eyes and looked at the monitor. She couldn't really see anything but a few moving blobs.

"Well that is 1 and there is 2" said the doctor. "Victoria it looks like you are having twins."

Victoria didn't say anything, she just stared at the monitor watching the two babies come into focus on the screen.

"Victoria, are you ok?" asked the doctor.

"I don't know" said Victoria.

"They look very healthy and from the measurements I would say you are about 10 weeks along" said the doctor.

He printed out a bunch of pictures of the fetuses before removing the wand and helping Victoria sit up. The nurse wheeled out the machine and the doctor told Victoria to get dressed and then he'd be back in to talk to her. Victoria mechanically cleaned herself up and redressed. The doctor came back in with a book and the pictures he'd taken of the babies.

"Alright Victoria, this book will outline what you can expect from your pregnancy. Being pregnant with twins means that you will get bigger faster because obviously there are two babies instead of just one. The nurse will have a copy of your chart to take with you when you leave today, the OB you choose in Seattle will want to see the results of the tests we took today. Again congratulations, I'm sure your husband will be thrilled" said Dr. Benjamin.

"I'm sure he'll be surprised" said Victoria.

"Good luck Victoria. I hope you have a great pregnancy" said the doctor before walking out the door.

"Thanks" said Victoria.

She got up and straightened her clothes before pulling on her jacket and walking back towards the docks.

The offload was already into the back tank when Victoria walked back to the boat. This time Norman spotted her first and quickly jumped over the railing and ran to where she was.

"Hi Norman" said Victoria.

"Is everything ok?" asked Norman.

"Yes" said Victoria.

"Well, what's the news? Are you pregnant?" asked Norman excitedly.

Victoria sat down on one of the dock's wooden pilings.

"I'm pregnant with twins" said Victoria handing Norman the ultrasound pictures.

Norman just took the pictures in silence looking closely at each one as if he was memorizing them. His face was full of wonder. Victoria was looking down waiting for Norman's response. When one wasn't immediately heard she started to cry.

"I'm sorry. I thought I was being so careful" said Victoria.

"Victoria, I've never been happier in my entire life" said Norman.

Victoria's head snapped up and she saw the look of undying love in Norman's eyes. She smiled and the tears that flowed down her cheeks became happy ones. Norman pulled Victoria to her feet hugging her tightly.

"Are you happy?" he asked suddenly.

"I'm in shock" said Victoria. "But I'm really happy that you're happy."

"You're going to be a great mom" said Norman.

"Did you hear that kids, you have a great mom" said Norman to Victoria's stomach.

Victoria started to laugh before pulling Norman up into a searing kiss. When they finally broke apart they were both slightly breathless.

"I guess we should tell Sig he was right" said Victoria.

"You know that he's never going to let you live that down" said Norman thoughtfully.

"Well I hope he doesn't expect us to name one after him" said Victoria.

"I've got 5 nieces and nephews and none are named after me. So I don't think we will be expected to do that" said Norman.

Back on the boat the crew watched as Norman and Victoria hopped back onto the deck. Their conversation had been obscured by the bow of the boat so they hadn't been able to see what happened. However it was pretty obvious from the look of pure joy on Norman's face that Victoria was indeed pregnant.

"So Elf was I right?" asked Sig.

"Yes" said Victoria grudgingly.

"I'm going to be an uncle again" said Edgar.

"Twice over" said Victoria with a smile.

"What?" said Sig.

"She's pregnant with twins" said Norman.

"Wow Norman congratulations" said Matt. "You too Victoria."

"Thanks Matt" said Norman and Victoria.

"How far along are you?" asked Jake.

"The doctor thinks 10 weeks according to the pictures" said Victoria.

"Let me see the pictures of my new nieces or nephews" said Sig.

Everyone crowded around Norman looking at the pictures. Victoria saw the full brailer being lifted out of the tank and snagged the clipboard and pencil from Sig and wrote down the number and the weight. Sig turned and gave her a look of thanks before turning back to the ultrasound pictures. Jake broke away from the group and walked back over to Victoria.

"How do you feel about twins?" asked Jake quietly.

"A few hours ago I didn't think I was pregnant at all, now I am with not one baby but two. I'm a little overwhelmed" said Victoria.

"You're going to be fine. I bet you're already making lists of what you need to do" said Jake with a smile.

"I haven't even thought of anything. My mind is a complete blank" said Victoria.

The pair silently watched the guys toss the crabs into the brailer for a few more minutes.

"I went to the store and got some more cool ranch chips" said Jake casually.

"Really? That sounds so yummy right now" said Victoria.

"Go get the bag and bring them out and we can share" said Jake taking the clipboard from Victoria.

Victoria walked into the galley and saw the chips sitting in the middle of the table. She snagged the bag and set down her medical file from the doctor and the book he'd given her before returning outside. She and Jake ate the entire bag while watching the offload. Eventually Norman and the rest of the guys got back to work and before the end of the day the offload was complete and everyone was crowded around the galley table celebrating the newest members of the Northwestern family.

Nick arrived the next day and got filled in on all the news. He gave Victoria a giant hug swinging her around the galley when he heard she was pregnant. The boat was getting ready to leave, Victoria had packed all her gear and was ready to go back to Seattle. Norman drove her to the airport and walked her to the gate.

"Please take good care of yourself" said Norman seriously.

"I will. Louise and June are picking me up from the airport I'm sure they will keep me in line" said Victoria.

"I'm sure they will" said Norman. "We should have another few trips to catch our quota and then I'll be home."

"I'll miss you" said Victoria.

"I love you so much" said Norman giving Victoria a kiss.

He leaned down and pulled Victoria's sweatshirt up so he could place a soft kiss on her flat tummy.

"You know by the time you get back I'll probably have some sort of a bump there" said Victoria.

"I can't wait to see it" said Norman.

He waited until Victoria boarded the tiny plane then walked outside and watched it take off. Only when the plane was safely in the air did he get back in the truck and head back to the boat.


	25. Chapter 25

**Please note that this chapter has adult language and situations. None of the medical jargon discussed in this chapter has any merit so don't take it seriously. I own none of these characters and make no money from this story, it's purely for fun.

***Thanks again for all the reviews, I cherish each and every one.

Victoria arrived at SeaTac airport very much worse for wear. Louise met her at baggage claim and immediately whisked her into the waiting car. Victoria had thrown up the entire flight from Anchorage to Seattle and while the trip was a relatively short one, she was drained. Louise and June talked the whole way to the house but Victoria couldn't hear a word they were saying. All she could concentrate on was not throwing up all over herself or the car. Louise passed Victoria a lollipop.

"It's a pregnancy pop, it has ginger in it. It should help with the nausea" said Louise. Victoria opened the lollipop and started to suck on it, although she did feel a little better it wasn't complete relief. They pulled up at the house, Victoria had never been so excited for the end of a car ride in her life. She dragged herself out of the car and opened the front door. June and Louise carried her bags into the house and up to her room where they unpacked them and started a load of laundry. Next they ran Victoria a warm bath and helped her undress and climb in. Victoria laid in the tub with her eyes closed wondering what rabbit hole she'd fallen down where she didn't care that she was taking a bath in front of 2 women. June washed her hair while Louise handed her the puff full of soap so she could wash herself. When the bath was finished they pulled her from the tub and toweled her off. The helped her slip on a comfy pair of pajamas then tucked her into bed.

"Thank you" murmured Victoria. "Will one of you please call Norman and tell him I'm home?"

"Of course" said June. "Just get some rest, we'll talk more in the morning."

Victoria closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Downstairs Louise picked up the phone and dialed the boats SAT phone number. She waited patiently as it dialed, then swore quietly as the call dropped. She dialed again and this time someone on the other end picked up.

"Northwestern, this is Sig."

"Sig, it's Louise. I was just calling to give Norman the message that his wife is home safely."

"How's she doing?" asked Sig.

"She's pretty sick. But that's to be expected, especially with twins" said Louise.

"Keep an eye on her ok?" said Sig.

"We will, you keep an eye on everyone up there and we will take care of everything down here" said Louise.

"Thanks Louise. Is June there?" asked Sig hopefully.

"Yes, just a second" said Louise.

She set the phone down on the counter and went upstairs to retrieve June from Victoria's bedside. June hurried downstairs to talk to Sig before the phone cut out.

"Hi Sig" she said slightly breathless.

"Hi June. How are you?" asked Sig his voice becoming instantly tender.

"I'm good. Although Elf has definitely seen better days" replied June.

"Well I know she's in good hands" said Sig.

"How's the trip going?" asked June.

"We're just heading back out for the second trip we have a few hours before we get to the grounds. Everyone is just resting and prepping" said Sig.

"Take care of yourself. I hope you are eating more than just coffee and chocolate" said June.

"I'm taking care of myself. I ate some of Matt's dinner" said Sig petulantly.

"I love you Sig" said June.

"I love you June. We'll call you when we get back to town" said Sig.

The phone went silent and June knew that Sig had hung up on his side. She cradled the phone to her cheek for a moment before returning it to it's proper place. June poured a glass of water and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. Louise appeared a moment later and both women smiled sadly at each other before heading out the door.

The next day dawned cold and rainy. Victoria had gotten up to pee twice during the night and she'd just finished visiting the toilet again, this time to throw up. She fought the urge to lean her head on the toilet bowl because she couldn't remember the last time someone cleaned. it. Finally dragging herself out of the bathroom she changed into some sweats and a t-shirt. She walked downstairs and went to put some coffee on then stopped. She shouldn't drink coffee. Sighing she walked to the fridge and pulled it open inspecting the contents. Deciding there was absolutely nothing in the fridge that she wanted to eat she grabbed her purse and keys preparing to go do some grocery shopping. Victoria was halfway to the door before the ringing phone brought her back to the kitchen.

"Hello?" answered Victoria.

"Victoria, it's Louise. Are you up for a visit? June and I have some stuff for you."

"I was just heading out to the grocery store to pick up some food" said Victoria.

"Well make it a quick trip and June and I will meet you at your house" said Louise.

"That sounds fine, I'll see you a little later" said Victoria.

Victoria wandered the aisles of the grocery store putting random things in her cart. She walked down the frozen food aisle and paused in front of the ice cream section. Ice cream was her absolute favorite food but nothing looked even remotely appetizing. In fact the longer she stayed in the ice cream section the more nauseous she seemed to get. Walking into the dairy section she picked up some cheese and then walked over to the meat section. She picked up a stack of steaks and tossed them in the cart. Next she walked into the dried goods aisle and picked up some risotto rice and chicken stock. In the vegetable aisle she get some mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and asparagus. Finally she got a rather decadent chocolate cake mix. When she finally walked out of the grocery store she was loaded and ready to make a delicious dinner at 10 o'clock in the morning.

Louise and June waited anxiously inside the house, they had the teapot out and had brewed decaffeinated tea so Victoria wouldn't feel left out. They heard the key in the lock and watched as Victoria came in loaded with grocery bags.

"Let us help you" said Louise grabbing a bag from Victoria.

Victoria relinquished the bags and allowed June and Louise to bustle her into the kitchen. Once seated they poured her a cup of tea and gave her a small scone. Then they put away all the groceries for her before joining her at the table.

"How are you feeling today?" asked June.

"Much better, thanks for everything you did yesterday" said Victoria.

"Well get use to it, we are going to take good care of you while Norman's away. It's how we fishwives stick together" said Louise with a smile.

"We've got a little basket of goodies for you" said June reaching under the counter.

She set the basket on the counter and motioned for Victoria to take a look. Victoria did just that standing up so she could see everything. There were a variety of crackers, chocolate, some more pregnancy pops, a gift card for a pedicure, and a dildo.

"So I kind of get what everything is for, but the dildo seems a little bit much" said Victoria.

"Well we weren't sure if you already had one" said Louise.

"Actually the gift basket was from before we even knew you were pregnant. We just added the crackers and lollipops. Trust us when we say that you will miss Norman more than you know, especially because you are a newlywed and adding on top of that you're pregnant. That dildo is going to become your best friend" said June.

"Thank you, for such a thoughtful gift" said Victoria.

"I know you don't feel like it now, but eventually the second trimester will hit and you will get your libido back" said Louise knowingly.

"Well, Norman will be home for a while during that time" said Victoria.

"True, but just in case you wear him out you have a back up" said Louise.

Victoria just nodded silently praying that this conversation would end. Thankfully her silent pleas were answered.

"I have the number of my OB" said Louise.

"He's the same one I used, he's great" chimed Louise.

"Definitely worthy of a crush" said Louise with a wink.

"You guys are a little much for me right now" said Victoria.

"I'd call him and make an appointment as soon as possible" said June seriously.

"In fact we'll call now for you" said Louise.

She picked up the phone and made an appointment for the following day. June and Louise stayed for another hour or so and when they finally left Victoria was relieved.

Victoria sat in front of the TV eating her steak, risotto and roasted asparagus while watching Project Runway. She took a sip of milk and sighed, she felt perfectly content. She leaned back on the couch tucking her feet underneath her. She looked down at the t-shirt she was wearing wondering how much longer she'd be able to wear it without her tummy sticking out. She leaned back lifting up her shirt and ran a hand over her stomach. It seemed like it was slightly rounder, but it could just be the angle or the way she was sitting. She stood up and took her dishes to the kitchen to wash them. She walked into the laundry room and pulled out the clothes from the dryer. Carrying them to the TV room she folded them mechanically while watching TV. The last item in the basket was her pink Northwestern sweatshirt. Instead of folding it she slipped it over her head, she thought longingly of Norman and said a prayer asking God to keep everyone safe. She carried the laundry basket upstairs and put away the clothes before climbing into bed. She nuzzled Norman's pillow searching for his scent in the fibers of the sheets. She missed him and although she knew he was coming home it didn't really make her feel any better.

Norman sat in the wheelhouse compulsively smoking one cigarette after another. He wanted to call Victoria but she was probably asleep and he knew she needed her rest. He'd received the update from Sig telling him that Victoria made it home safely and that Louise and June were taking good care of her. Even after assurance of her safety he still wanted to talk to her. He watched the dark sea ahead of him, the weather was crappy and if the wind didn't let up he knew he wasn't going to be able to have a decent conversation without the SAT phone cutting out. He looked out at the starry night and was slightly comforted knowing that Victoria was sleeping under the same star filled sky. His musing were interrupted by Edgar appearing in the wheelhouse.

"Hey what's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, just driving the boat" replied Norman.

"It smells like tobacco row in here" said Edgar.

"I've been smoking, so what?" said Norman defensively.

"Well you should get all the smoking you can in now, because you can't smoke around Victoria and the baby" said Edgar gleefully.

"I know" said Norman.

"And just wait until she gets all emotional and cranky and huge" said Edgar.

"Just stop Edgar" said Norman. "I've got enough on my mind without you adding to it."

"Well get it off your mind. We have a job to do out here. Don't get distracted with shit from home, there is nothing you can do from out here. You have to leave it at the dock" said Edgar sagely.

"I know and I will" said Norman.

Edgar and Norman talked on and off for another few hours until Norman determined that if he wasn't going to call Victoria then he should probably get some sleep. Leaving Edgar at the helm he went to his stateroom to sleep.

Victoria sat in the cold sterile exam room wearing an almost stylish Kimono-style hospital gown. Louise sat in the chair while Victoria perched on the exam room table looking slightly green around the gills. The doctor knocked on the door lightly before walking in.

"Hello I'm doctor Robinson" said the doctor.

Victoria smiled weakly.

"Hi Dr. Rob" said Louise happily.

"Louise, my favorite patient" said Dr. Robinson embracing Louise tenderly.

"Dr. Rob this is my sister in law Victoria" said Louise.

"Hello Victoria, it's nice to meet you. Congratulations on your pregnancy. Please call me Dr. Rob" said Dr. Rob.

"Thank you, Dr. Rob" said Victoria.

"Now, I got your records from the front desk and took a look at the ultrasound pictures that you brought in and everything looks good with the babies" said Dr. Rob.

"I'm going to do another ultrasound today so I can double check and we will listen to the heartbeats."

"Ok" said Victoria.

"You seem a little overwhelmed. I take it this wasn't a planned pregnancy" said Dr. Rob.

"No, I was taking birth control pills the whole time" said Victoria.

"Although rare, that occasionally does happen" said Dr. Rob.

"It's been a little much to adjust to, you know going from thinking you are safe from becoming pregnant to being pregnant with twins" said Victoria quietly.

"Anyone having twins is overwhelmed, even those trying to have babies" said Dr. Rob.

Victoria managed a weak smile then dabbed a few tears from her cheeks. Louise stood up and crossed the room giving Victoria a gentle hug before resuming her seat.

"Now, lets get the exam started" said Dr. Rob.

A nurse came in as the standby and Dr. Rob carefully measured the belly marking the number on a chart. Next he pulled out the fetal heart monitor then squirted a bit of jelly on it and then went to place it on Victoria's belly.

"Wait, do you mind if I try to call Norman?" asked Victoria suddenly.

"Go right ahead" said Dr. Rob.

"Oh Victoria, they are fishing" said Louise.

"I know, but I think he'd want to hear it" said Victoria firmly.

Louise passed Victoria her cell phone. Victoria dialed the the number and waited anxiously for an answer.

"Northwestern" said Sig.

"Sig, it's Victoria."

"Elf, is everything ok?" asked Sig.

"Yeah, is Norman around?" asked Victoria hopefully.

"He's out on deck, we are just running between pots" said Sig.

"Can you do me a favor and hold the phone up to the hailer? I have something I want all of your to hear" said Victoria.

"Ok" said Sig. "Ready when you are."

Victoria nodded to the doctor who turned up the fetal monitor as loud as it would go. Suddenly the exam room was filled with the sounds of whooshing.

On the deck of the Northwestern the whooshing sounds echoed on the deck causing everyone to look warily up at the speakers positioned around the deck.

"What the hell is that?" asked Jake.

"That my friend is, if I"m not mistaken, the sounds of Norman's little babies heartbeats" replied Edgar.

Norman was gone in a flash, up the stairs and into the wheelhouse in an instant. He grabbed the SAT phone from Sig.

"Victoria?" he called.

"Hi Norman" said Victoria her voice watery.

"Is that the sounds of our babies?" asked Norman.

"Yes, isn't it beautiful." said Victoria.

"The most beautiful sound I've ever heard" said Norman.

They listened to the sound of the heartbeats for another minute before the doctor took the monitor away.

"Norman, I love you. Stay safe and come home soon" said Victoria.

"It's so good to hear your voice and know you are ok" said Norman.

"I'm fine, Louise and June are taking good care of me" said Victoria.

"Norman has to get back to work the buoys are off the bow" said Sig in the background.

"I love you" said Victoria

"I love you too" said Norman.

"I love you too Victoria" mimicked Sig. "Over and out."

Victoria hugged the phone to her chest throughout the rest of the exam. The doctor pronounced the twins in perfect health and printed out some more pictures for Victoria to take home. Her next appointment was in a month, which if all things went well would be attended by herself and Norman.

Driving home in the car Louise gushed about how dreamy Dr. Robinson was. She talked about how understanding he would be, how he probably treated his wife as a gift instead of a nagging baby machine.

"He's very good looking" said Victoria. "But honestly he probably has no interest in sex."

"Why would you say that?" asked Louise.

"Well he sees vaginas all day and you think he wants to go home and see another one" said Victoria.

"Yes, but he doesn't have sex with all the vaginas he sees at work" said Louise.

"I'm just saying I've never heard any of the guys ask for crab as their first meal when they get back to dry land" said Victoria.

"Don't ruin the fantasy for me" said Louise.

"Ok, he's probably a magnificent lover who really knows how to eat a pussy" said Victoria.

"Damn straight" said Louise.

Victoria just rolled her eyes and bit her lip to stop herself from saying anything else.

"Louise, do you think we could stop at a bookstore on the way home? I want to pick up some books on pregnancy" said Victoria.

"Of course, although I bet between June and I we can give you quite a selection" said Louise.

"I just want to look at them, maybe get a pregnancy memory book" said Victoria.

"Of course, I understand" said Louise.

The pair drove to a bookstore and spent the next few hours browsing the shelves.

Victoria arrived home later with a bag full of books. She started to unpack them then abandoned the task in order to make herself something to eat. Her meals for one had never been this fancy but she really felt like it was dinner for 3 although not with big portions. She would never dine alone she thought as she patted her belly. After dinner she pulled out one of the books she'd bought and started to read. After a few minutes she got up to get a notebook and a pen. She took notes the rest of the evening as she went slowly through the book. Finally when her eyes started to close on their own she went upstairs to bed.

King Crab season was an overall success, the boat had gotten their quota and everyone had returned safely. The boat was safely moored in Dutch and the crew was headed back home to their families in time for the holiday season. Sig scowled as the crew walked through SeaTac.

"It looks like Christmas threw up in here" he grumped.

"It sure does" said Edgar. "It makes me wonder if my first weekend home is going to be spent hanging Christmas lights."

"So who's picking us up?" asked Norman.

"I'm sure Elf will be here" said Sig.

"That's not what I asked and you know it" said Norman.

"June is coming" said Sig.

The guys walked out through the baggage claim doors with duffle bags in hand. Edgar was the first to see Victoria.

"Hey Norm, your wife has gotten really fat" said Edgar teasingly.

Norman saw her the second Edgar had said wife. Victoria looked the same as ever only she had a round little bump in the front. Victoria saw Norman and she immediately ran over to him taking a bit of a jump right into his arms. Their lips met in a gnashing of teeth and gums.

"Ok you two, lets take this somewhere else before the clothes start coming off" said Sig.

Edgar picked up Norman's bag since his hands were full. Norman carried Victoria all the way to the car carefully putting her down in the back before climbing in next to her. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked and how great she smelled and how he was going to fuck her until neither of them could move when they got home. June seemed to sense the urgency of their mutual need and took pity on them by dropping them off first. Norman and Victoria thanked everyone and said their hasty goodbyes before all but running to the front door.

"I bet they don't even make it to the living room" said Edgar.

"I bet they don't remember to close the front door" said Sig.

Victoria and Norman made it to the first scrap of carpet they came upon, which happened to be in the corner of the living room. Their coupling was frantic and over practically before it started. Once the edge was worn off they were able to half dress and make their way to the bedroom. Once inside Norman tenderly undressed Victoria properly taking special interest in her blooming stomach before moving lower. He sucked and licked Victoria with abandon, savoring her taste and making her scream. Victoria tugged violently on his hair and Norman took that to mean that she was ready for more. He climbed up her body taking care to drop a few kisses on her breasts before sheathing himself in one thrust. The feeling was wonderful, she was tight and wet, just as he remembered her only she was softer, more rounded, more feminine. Norman's thrusts started to speed as he felt Victoria flutter around him. As she squeezed him with the vice like grip of orgasm he succumbed flooding her. Norman collapsed on the side of her before carefully laying his hand on her stomach. Her skin was flushed and sweaty.

"Are you ok?" asked Norman breathily.

"Yes, that was just what I needed" said Victoria stretching luxuriously.

"I've missed you so much. I don't know how I'm going to leave you for Opies" said Norman.

"That's still a while off so lets not think about it now" said Victoria leaning over to give Norman a kiss.

He deepened it letting his hands caress her body. He lowered his head to her breasts taking a nipple in his mouth and gently sucking at it. His other hand twisted and pulled at her other nipple. Victoria tilted her pelvis showing Norman what she really wanted. His hands drifted down to her center, stroking her until she shuddered and came. Victoria's hand wandered down Norman's body tugging at his exhausted penis.

"Victoria, you are going to be the death of me" said Norman tiredly.

"It will be a wonderful way to go" said Victoria.

"I can't yet" said Norman sadly.

"How about I let you use something on me" said Victoria mischievously.

Norman cocked an eye brow then nodded hesitantly. Victoria leaned over and pulled out the dildo she'd been given.

"Where did you get that?" asked Norman.

"Louise and June gave it to me" said Victoria. "I think it needs batteries."

Norman picked up the dildo testing it's weight and size in his hand.

"Don't get too use to holding one of those" said Victoria teasingly.

"Be nice or I won't use it on you" said Norman.

"I'll be good. I'm always good" said Victoria. "But sometimes I need a little reminder."

She turned around and presented her bottom to Norman. He sat up and gave her a slap on the ass.

"I've got your reminder right here" said Norman spanking her in earnest. He tossed the dildo to the side and entered her again from behind. Victoria moaned indecently and pushed herself back meeting him thrust for thrust. This time it was Victoria who tired first, Norman switched positions so she could lay down and he continued to pound into her until he finally reached his peak. Victoria moaned quietly and rolled onto her side. Norman was instantly alert.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" he asked worriedly.

"Fine, just tired and a little sore. I'm not going to be able to walk right for a week" said Victoria with a smile.

Norman smiled and spooned her laying his hand protectively over her belly.

Norman played the doting husband while he was home for the holidays. He went to Victoria's appointments and rubbed her feet. Although Victoria didn't have many strange requests she did seem to be making ridiculously complicated meals. In fact one night Sig, June and Alexis came over for dinner and Victoria had made Peking Duck. Sig and June raved about the delicious dinner then both expressed concern Norman about Victoria's cooking.

"It must have taken her hours to make all this. She should be resting. You should be cooking for her" said June.

"She wants to cook, it's really become a passion" explained Norman.

"I suggest you bone up on all the take out places that serve food like this, because if she's craving it and she's not willing to cook you better be able to find it" warned Sig.

In fact the advice from everyone kept on flowing until Norman and the rest of the crew were headed back up to Dutch for Opie. In the month he'd been home Victoria had grown slightly rounder, she was 20 weeks along and halfway through her pregnancy. Norman hated to leave her but he had to. Victoria had told him she understood and she hoped he'd make it home in time for the babies birthday. Her ultrasound was in a few more weeks and she and Norman were both excited to find out the sex of the babies. With a few final kisses they said goodbye before going their separate ways Norman to his plane to Dutch and Victoria back to an empty house.


	26. Chapter 26

**Thank you to everyone that has read and is following this story. I just discovered the traffic button and am humbled by the number of hits. A very special thank you to everyone who chooses to review, the encouragement keeps me writing.

*Just a reminder this is all fiction and none of the medical or nautical information is true.

The day of the ultrasound had finally arrived. Victoria had taken special care to get herself ready for this appointment. Louise and June were going with her as her moral support and enthusiastic aunties. They picked up Victoria first thing in the morning and took her to the doctor's office. Victoria for her part was nervous, she hoped that both babies were healthy. Sver had seen her the night before and told her that she was carrying low which meant the babies were probably boys. Victoria's dreams had been filled with cherub faced little boys setting fires and throwing lawn darts at each other. The waiting room was crowded with pregnant women, Victoria found a seat and gracelessly plopped down into it. June and Louise walked to the receptionist and checked Victoria in.

"Wow, you look like you are ready to pop" said the woman next to her.

"I've still got a while to go" replied Victoria.

"How many you've got in there?" asked the woman.

"Two" answered Victoria.

"Good Luck with that" said the woman as her name was called.

June slid into the seat next to Victoria and smiled.

"I think that woman just called me fat" said Victoria suspiciously.

"Well everyone in here is in the same boat. Don't take anything too personal" said June.

Victoria just pouted, her feelings slightly hurt by the woman's comment. She gazed critically down at her body, her arms and legs (what she could see of them) looked to be the same. Her belly however was huge and as is natures cruel way her butt seemed to be sticking out more to offset the new bulge on her front.

"Victoria, it's your turn" said Louise.

Victoria snapped out her musings, pried herself out of the chair and followed Louise. She smiled to herself realizing she was one step closer to having these babies.

The air on the Northwestern was filled with anticipation. Everyone knew this was ultrasound day. Sig had even volunteered to switch places with Norman so he could be the first to know the sex of the babies. Of course Sig said it a little more disparaging than that, making some comment about hearing Victoria cry on the phone like a little girl was bad for his ears. Norman had thanked him and taken the seat in the captains chair. The crew on deck were enjoying having Sig outside helping them pull the pots. The Discovery Channel guys were in heaven, this season was going to be the best ever. Not only was the pregnancy announced on the boat but they'd heard the babies heartbeats, and now they were going to find out the sex of the babies all on HD digital film. They were smelling an Emmy. Edgar had taken bets on the sexes of the babies and everyone's guesses were listed on the white board in the galley. Edgar had picked two boys, Matt had said 2 girls, Sig and Nick had said one of each and Jake had said triplets, which earned him a serious smack on the back of the head.

Victoria laid back on the exam table trying not to complain about how uncomfortable she felt. The technician had told her that she was going to do some measurements first then turn the screen around and show everyone the babies. Victoria stared at the ceiling trying not to grunt every time the ultrasound wand pressed against her bladder. June and Louise had tried to keep up a running dialog of small talk but it soon became clear that Victoria had no interest in talking. The technician finally finished all the measurements and turned the monitor so Victoria, June and Louise could see. Louise pulled out the cell phone and dialed the boats number. Switching the phone to speaker Norman's voice filled the room.

"Victoria, how are you feeling?" asked Norman.

"I'm good. Are you ready to find out what we're having" said Victoria.

"Yes" said Norman.

Victoria nodded to the technician who began to move the ultrasound wand around on her belly.

"Ok, Victoria. This is baby 1 would you like to know the sex?" asked the technician.

"Yes, we'd like to know both of the babies' sex" said Victoria.

"Alright. Well this is baby number 1 and it's a boy" said the Technician.

"Wow, a boy. He looks so big" said Victoria her hand stretching towards the monitor.

"A boy" said Norman over the phone.

The technician moved the wand around a little more searching for the second baby. Finally the little baby came into view, still partially blocked by it's brother. The wand pressed deeper into Victoria's tummy as the technician tried to pick up the sex of the other twin.

"Finally, this one is a shy little girl" said the technician.

"Wow, you got one of each" said Louise.

Victoria just looked at the screen, tears streaming down her face.

"I've got to tell the guys" said Norman. There was the sound of his voice over the hailer announcing the sex of the babies.

"The babies look right on target for size and they look healthy. However, the doctor will be checking the pictures closely for any abnormalities.

"Victoria, I have to go, it's getting a little sloppy out. I love you so much and tell our baby girl and boy I love them too" said Norman.

"I love you Norman, please take good care of yourself and everyone else" said Victoria.

Turning back to the monitor Victoria spent the last few minutes of the appointment staring at her babies pictures on the screen.

Louise and June took her out to lunch after her appointment treating Victoria to a decadent meal including a sumptuous dessert. Victoria went to the bathroom 3 times during the meal and each time she left the table Louise grabbed her phone and frantically copied down the names and phone numbers in her contact list. Victoria returned to the table none the wiser.

"So Victoria, have you thought about a baby shower?" asked June casually.

"No, I've been to quite a few in my time and I think I'd just like something really small" said Victoria.

"You should think about registering for a few things" said Louise.

"I guess you're right" said Victoria thoughtfully.

"It should be sooner than later, because twins often come early" said June.

"That's what Dr. Rob said" commented Victoria.

The mention of his name started Louise on a gushing session about how great he was and how she loved going with Victoria to every appointment. When the meal was over Louise and June drove Victoria back to her house. Once she was out of the car the ladies immediately began to discuss the baby shower.

"Ok Louise, how many people were in her contact list" asked June.

"Wow, 100. But some aren't women so we don't have to invite them and they probably won't all fly up here for a shower" said Louise.

"Alright, well we are going to have to call them to invite them since we don't have addresses. I'd really rather send out a proper invitation" said June.

"Well, we will still send out invitations to the people we do have addresses for. The people up here, like Nick's wife" said Louise.

The ladies spent the rest of the afternoon discussing Victoria's party. In fact most of the party was planned by the end of the evening.

Norman was on cloud nine, he floated through his work with a smile on his face. He'd been in such a fantastic mood he'd even willingly talked to the cameraman for a good two minutes about how he was feeling about finding out the sex of the babies. Edgar walked into the stateroom and pulled out a plastic bag he'd hidden. Inside it was the stuff for Norman's baby shower which the crew was planning to throw as they headed in to offload. Edgar quickly shoved the bag back under his bunk when he heard someone walking down the hall. Matt opened the door and Edgar let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"Hey Ed, I wanted to ask if you still wanted me to make shrimp for dinner since it's Norman's special night" said Matt.

"It's the traditional going in meal, why change it" said Edgar.

"Roger" said Matt.

"Hey, where is the dad to be?" asked Edgar.

"He's up talking to Sig" answered Matt.

"We need to keep him out of the galley for awhile so we can decorate" said Edgar.

"I'm sure we can think of a reason to keep him in the room or we can just board him in here" said Matt.

"Maybe we can lock him in the engine room" said Edgar thoughtfully.

"We should just tell him to call Elf, they always talk forever" said Matt.

"Good idea, we can tell him to call her" said Edgar.

"That would be a good idea if it wasn't the middle of the night" said Matt.

"Damn it" said Edgar. "We'll just play it by ear."

Matt and Edgar both headed out of the room and walked to the galley. Nick and Jake were playing cards at the table when they walked in.

"Hey Edgar, what's up?" asked Jake.

"Tonight's the night" said Edgar mysteriously.

Nick rolled his eyes then whispered to Jake what was going to take place after dinner. Edgar and Nick had both brought "gifts" for Norman. A few little things to help him deal with his new job as a father.

"Cool" said Jake.

"Junior I have a job for you. I need you to distract Norman and keep him out of here until dinner is ready" said Edgar.

"How am I suppose to do that?" asked Jake.

"That is for you to decide. But he needs to stay out of here and if he doesn't you are going to be in deep shit" said Edgar.

Jake sighed and got up to find Norman. He thought it was probably easier to swim back to Dutch than try to tell Norman to do anything. Suddenly his whole demeanor brightened as he was struck by a particularly brilliant plan.

Norman was talking to Sig in the wheelhouse when Jake appeared. Norman passed Jake a cigarette as he walked up to him. Jake lit it and handed the lighter back to Norman.

"What's up Junior?" asked Sig.

"I just wanted to ask Norman a question" said Jake.

"Oh really? What's up?" asked Norman.

"Have you and Victoria thought about names?" asked Jake.

"Not really. Why do you have a suggestion?" asked Norman warily.

"I've always been partial to Jake" answered Jake.

"I don't think we are planning to name either kid after anyone we know" said Norman with a smile.

"I think you should name the boy Sig, because I was the one who told her she was pregnant" said Sig.

"I remember how much you hated that name in school and you want to torture another kid with it. Besides you have fans who've already named their kids after you" said Norman.

"Well you've told us all the names you don't want to name them, what about names you do like" asked Jake.

"It's Norwegian tradition to use parts of the parents names to create the names of the first born boy and girl" said Sig. "That is how I ended up with Sigurd."

"That's very cool. So lets see you could name the boy Norvic and the girl Riana" said Jake helpfully.

"Wow, those are some really interesting names, I'll have to write those down so I can share them with Victoria next time I talk to her" said Norman.

"I'm sure she already has names picked out" said Sig. "She's probably already made a list of them and is trying them out in front of Hansen to make sure it sounds good."

"Probably. Although she hasn't mentioned any names to me, maybe she's saving them for when I'm home" said Norman.

"Yeah because she wants to spring some really crazy one on you like Harmony or something" quipped Sig.

"Victoria doesn't really strike me as a weird name kind of girl. She seems like a traditionalist, someone who likes strong historical names. I mean she's named after a queen" said Jake.

"Maybe she's named after the lingerie store" said Sig.

"Call and ask her, I'm sure it's after the queen" asserted Jake.

"Junior, it's late and I'm sure she needs her rest" said Sig.

"I already know the answer. She is named after queen Victoria, her mom was a big fan of the royal family. Victoria was a very strong and regal queen" said Norman.

"Told you so" said Jake.

"DINNER" called Edgar from the galley.

As Norman walked into the galley his eyes widened in surprise. In the middle of the table was a paper stork centerpiece and scattered across the table was baby rattle confetti. The walls looked like they'd been sprayed with pink and blue silly string and there was a small pile of gifts sitting on the counter.

"What's going on here" asked Norman quietly.

"It's your baby shower" said Edgar.

"Great" said Norman unenthusiastically.

"Lets eat, then you can open your prizes" said Matt.

Dinner was dished out and everyone ate in relative silence, only the occasional request for something to be passed. Once the last dish was cleared from the table Matt brought out a chocolate cake with a pink and blue pacifier stuck in the top.

"Congratulations Norman" said Matt passing Norman a stack of plates and the knife.

"I should just kill you all now before the embarrassment begins, but the cake looks too tasty" said Norman.

After the cake was finished and the dishes cleared Edgar passed Norman the first gift in the pile.

"This one is from Nick" said Edgar passing Norman a box wrapped in tinfoil.

Norman tore open the gift before giving Nick a smile. It was a box of earplugs.

"I can only imagine what it's going to be like with two babies, one was enough to split my eardrums with her crying" said Nick.

"Thanks" said Norman.

"This one is from me" said Edgar.

Norman hesitantly opened the bag then immediately closed it again.

"Come on Norman, show everyone your special gift" said Edgar wickedly.

"Fine" said Norman.

He pulled out a stack of adult magazines and a bottle of astroglide.

"Wow Edgar, that's a pretty strange gift" commented Jake.

"It's perfect because Norman's not going to be getting any for a while after the babies are born" said Edgar.

"You are taking great pleasure in my future misery" said Norman.

"It's about time you get to join the no sex father club" said Edgar.

"Open my gift next" said Jake sliding an envelope over to Norman.

"Thanks Junior, it's a certificate good for one free night of babysitting. I'll have to check with Victoria to see if you're an approved childcare provider" said Norman.

"Seriously Norman, after a couple of months she's going to be dying to get out of the house. She'll be happy to let Junior babysit" said Sig.

"Here's one from me" said Matt.

"It's $50, for pizza when Victoria is too tired to cook" said Norman reading the card.

"Louise says she's still cooking up a storm at home" said Edgar casually.

"Yep, she told me she was making seafood risotto last time we talked" said Norman with a smile.

"Here's my gift" said Sig handing Norman a bag.

"What's this?" asked Norman pulling out a bottle.

"It's a bottle of champagne to open when the kids are born" said Sig.

"Thanks for all the gifts" said Norman.

"There is one more from us" said the cameraman. "But you'll have to wait until we get back to dry land, we had the guys in LA cut together the stuff from Victoria's pregnancy to some music and stuff."

"Cool, I hope I'm not in it too much" said Norman.

The rest of the trip back to Dutch was spent relaxing. With another successful offload the crew was once again heading back out hopefully for their last trip of the season.

Louise and June sat at a small cafe in downtown Seattle discussing Victoria's baby shower. The ladies picked at their salads while they reviewed the menu for the event.

"Well, what about the guest list?" asked June.

"It's the same as before, just the girls we know. None of Victoria's friends are coming" said Louise sadly.

"Are you sure you called everyone?" asked June.

"Yes, and honestly I think most of those names are of people she worked for. They all seemed to be surprised that I was calling them, but seemed happy to find out Victoria's married and pregnant. They've all been sending gifts but no one is actually coming to the shower" explained Louise.

"Where are they sending the gifts?" asked June.

"My house, since we are having the party there I thought it would be easier. Now I'm not so sure, she must have 50 gifts already. I'm going to run out of room" said Louise.

"Well at least they are sending her gifts" said June

"One person seemed pretty upset that I called her. She kept asking where I got her number and if Victoria had given me permission to call" said Louise.

"What did you say?" asked June.

"Nothing, I just hung up" said Louise.

"I'm sure it's nothing" said June reassuringly.

Lunch passed quickly and by the end of it June and Louise had the baby shower details all wrapped up. It was the following weekend and now that they had a confirmed guest list they were able to make the favors and order the food and of course tell the mother to be about her party.

Victoria already knew about her shower because all her former employers had called to find out why some strange lady was calling their private lines. Even the people that had been completely pleasant to Louise wanted to know why Victoria had given someone their phone numbers. Victoria patiently explained that she hadn't given anyone anything and that she was sorry that they felt their privacy had been violated. Then she graciously accepted their congratulations and hung up. Her personal favorite phone call had been from Trix, who'd immediately told her she wasn't allowed to go to the party because the dragon had gotten all up in a fuss about her private number being used. Victoria had apologized profusely to Trix because she knew what a pain she'd be going through for the next few weeks. Victoria was a little surprised at how sneaky Louise and June had been about the guest list. She was a little hurt they hadn't just asked her for a guest list, not that she had anyone specifically in mind but still it would have been nice to be asked. The more she thought about it the more she realized she should be happy to be a part of a family where people actually threw surprise parties. It was a novel experience for a little orphan.

The day of the party had finally arrived and Victoria found herself in Louise's house watching everyone play silly shower games like not saying the word baby in conversation and trying to sit without crossing their legs. This was certainly not her first baby shower, but it was obviously the first one where she was the guest of honor. Louise and June had ordered her favorite foods even getting risotto from Mario Batali's restaurant. Finally the time for presents arrived and Louise moved Victoria into a big plush chair and started bringing down package after package from upstairs. Alexis volunteered to write down who gave what. Victoria didn't know what to say the sheer number of gifts was overwhelming. She decided to start with the gifts from the people who actually attended the party so they could be thanked in person. The gifts were incredibly generous and she was really touched by everyones thoughtfulness. She stopped once the gifts from everyone at the party had been opened. Louise and June took over and Victoria watched with detached amusement as they opened and catalogued the 65 gifts received from her friends and former employers. Once everything was opened June and Louise sat back enjoying a glass of wine while Victoria rested on the couch.

"Thank you both so much for throwing this amazing shower for me. I feel really blessed to have such an amazing family" said Victoria.

"You are so welcome, we are so excited for you" said Louise.

"How about we get you home. We'll bring over all the gifts later and help you set up the nursery" said June.

"Sounds good to me, I'm exhausted and all I did was sit, eat and open presents" said Victoria.

June drove Victoria home even going so far as to walk her to the door. With Victoria tucked safely into bed June drove back to Louise's to help clean up.

Norman and the guys were heading in for their final offload of the season. The season had been full of storms, ice and good fishing. As was their tradition no one called home until they were safely at the processor in Dutch to call the season over. Norman pulled his pictures of Victoria and the ultrasounds out and looked at them with a smile. He was so close to going home and seeing his beautiful pregnant wife. Edgar walked into the room snatching the ultrasound pictures off the bed.

"I think you should name the boy Edgar or at least have Edgar as a middle name" said Edgar.

"I was thinking of Norman the second" said Norman.

"Really? That's interesting" said Edgar.

"No, Victoria and I haven't even talked about names. It doesn't seem like something we should do over the SAT phone. But I'll make sure to let her know about your suggestion" said Norman.

"Please do. I'm going to take watch, I'll see you later" said Edgar.

Edgar walked up to the wheelhouse and relieved a very tired looking Sig. Edgar settled into the captain's chair and was soon in a sort of exhausted daze. Then the SAT phone rang.

"Northwestern, Edgar."

"(unintelligible mumbling followed by crying)"

'Victoria? What's wrong?" asked Edgar.

"I campbowl rover" said Victoria.

"What? I can't understand what you're saying. Are the babies ok?" asked Edgar in a panic.

*Sniff* "Yes, they are fine" said Victoria her voice calming slightly.

"What are you crying about?" asked Edgar.

"I can't roll over" said Victoria. "I just woke up because I couldn't roll over. I'm like a huge beached whale in the middle of this bed."

"I'm sure you look beautiful" said Edgar trying to slow his heart rate.

"How's everything going up there?" asked Victoria her voice a little watery.

"Good. How are you? Do you always call hysterical in the middle of the night or is this a special call because I'm on watch?" said Edgar.

"This is my first hysterical call. It's really the first time I've ever had a reason to be hysterical" said Victoria.

"I'm excited to be the one you reached" said Edgar.

Edgar heard Victoria yawn and smiled to himself.

"So Victoria, have I ever told you about the time Sig got boxing gloves for Christmas?" asked Edgar.

"No" said Victoria sleepily.

"I'll tell you now, just lay down ok" said Edgar.

"Done" said Victoria.

"All tucked in?" asked Edgar.

"Yep, and I'm ready for my story" said Victoria.

"Well Santa thought it would be great to get the oldest, meanest brother boxing gloves for Christmas. So Sig rips open the box slips on the gloves and decides to go after the smallest albeit cutest brother. So he's punching me and Norman like the great brother that he is holds me down so Sig can get in a few easy punches before finally letting me go cry to mom. I ended up in the family photo with two black eyes and a swollen nose."

Edgar could hear the faint sounds of Victoria's breathing.

"Ok Victoria, hang up the phone" said Edgar soothingly.

"Thanks Edgar" said Victoria's sleepy voice. "Tell Norman I love him."

"Will do, take care of yourself" said Edgar as he heard Victoria hang up.

A few hours later Norman came in to take watch and Edgar told him about the phone call from Victoria. They both had a good laugh about that fateful Christmas and Edgar assured Norman that Victoria was fine, perhaps just a little upset about not being as mobile as she use to be.

The boat was docked at the processor and the first few brailers had already been dropped onto the deck. Sig made the first phone call home.

"Hey June baby, we are coming home" said Sig the moment his wife answered.

"Oh great" said June. "Is everyone ok?"

"Yep, once again a good season with no injuries" said Sig proudly.

"That's great honey" said June distractedly.

"June, is everything ok where you are?" asked Sig.

"Fine. Listen you can't tell Norman but Victoria fell this morning" said June.

"What? Is everything ok?" interrupted Sig.

"Yes, if you would let me finish. She's fine, Louise took her in to see the OB and he says the only thing that happened was she lost her mucus plug. It's really no big deal but he recommends bed rest until she goes into labor" said June.

"June, I'm no doctor, but that seems a little more serious than everything is fine" said Sig.

"She's fine, just resting at home" said June. "Don't tell Norman, Victoria was really upset at herself for falling. She doesn't want Norman to worry" said June.

"Fine, but if anything happens call my cell. We should be done offloading for the next 20 hours then we are coming home. The boat should be in port by the end of the week" said Sig.

"I can't wait to see you honey. I've missed you" said June.

"I love you and can't wait to hold you in my arms" said Sig.

Sig hung up the cell phone and quietly walked back on deck. He saw that Matt and Jake were carefully watching the brailer weights and writing them on the clipboard. Edgar and Nick were watching the guys loading the crab inside the tanks. Norman was no where to be found. Sig walked back inside nearly colliding with a very frantic looking Norman.

"What's up Norm?" asked Sig.

"I have to go home. Victoria fell today, lost some sort of plug" said Norman.

"June said she was fine" said Sig.

"You knew about this?!" demanded Norman.

"I just found out, I was looking for you so I could tell you what happened" said Sig.

"I'm going to fly home, just so I can be there to take care of her. She's on bed rest" said Norman.

"Go, we've got everything covered here. Have Edgar drive you to the airport, I'll see you when the boat gets in" said Sig.

"Thanks" said Norman.

Norman walked out onto deck yelling for Edgar. He explained the situation to Edgar who was clearly shocked by the new development. Norman was on the next flight out of Dutch and safely back in Seattle the following day.

Victoria laid in bed completely bored. Norman had arrived a few days ago and had been keeping her confined to the bedroom. She thought he was taking the idea of bed rest to a whole other level. Victoria had assured him that the doctor had said resting was a good idea not that she had to do it all the time. But Norman had insisted she stay in bed, only getting up to use the bathroom. Victoria heard the doorbell ring and hoped it was something to eat being delivered. A few minutes later Norman, Sig and Edgar walked into the bedroom.

"Wow Elf, you've definitely popped" said Sig.

"Did you just call me fat?" asked Victoria her eyes narrowing.

"What? No. I said you look beautifully pregnant" said Sig.

"Hmph" was Victoria's response.

"Well Victoria, Edgar and I are going to get the supplies to build the shelves in the nursery" said Norman.

"Great, once those are in everything will be ready" said Victoria.

"And Sig is going to stay here and keep you company" said Norman.

"Ok" said Victoria.

Norman and Edgar said their goodbyes and Sig sat down in the chair at the end of Victoria's bed.

"So Elf, how's everything been going?" asked Sig.

"Fine, your wife and Louise have been amazing. Did you want to see what I got from the baby shower?" asked Victoria.

"Sure" said Sig.

"Help me up and I'll show you" said Victoria.

Sig helped Victoria get to her feet and smiled as he realized that she was wearing one of Norman's Northwestern Sweatshirts.

"Wow, you are really filling out that sweatshirt" said Sig.

"Sig, if you want to save yourself from serious injury I would suggest not saying anything else about how big I'm looking these days" said Victoria in a sticky sweet voice.

"Roger" said Sig.

Victoria showed Sig the nursery and the ridiculous amount of stuff they'd been given.

"What's this?" asked Sig picking up a Lego ship.

"That is a lego version on the Northwestern given to us by a fan" said Victoria. "In fact since the season is previewing on Discovery we've been getting a lot of fan gifts."

"That's cool" said Sig.

"My favorite is this one" said Victoria pulling out a onesie that said My Uncle Sig says Shut Up and Fish.

"Has Norman seen all this stuff?" asked Sig picking up a stuffed toy from one of the cribs.

"Yeah, I think he's a little surprised at how much stuff we have for two tiny babies" said Victoria walking out of the room.

Instead of turning back towards the bedroom she ambled towards the stairs and started to walk down.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" asked Sig.

"I'm getting a snack" said Victoria.

"Are you allowed to do that?" asked Sig.

"Yes, I have to eat" said Victoria.

Victoria walked into the kitchen for the first time since she'd fallen. She took a deep breath and sighed, it was so good to be back. She immediately walked to the pantry and pulled out the makings for mushroom risotto. She started the rice while Sig sat down in the kitchen chair.

"What are you making Elf?" asked Sig.

"Mushroom Risotto and a steak. Do you want some?" asked Victoria.

"That is a snack?" asked Sig.

"Remember what I said earlier about watching what you say to me" said Victoria warningly.

"Sounds delicious I'd love to have a snack with you" amended Sig.

Victoria puttered about the kitchen bumping her tummy here and there until one particular bump caused her to cringe.

"Are you ok?" asked Sig.

"Yes, it's just sometimes I bump them and they get a little upset" said Victoria.

"Can I feel?" asked Sig.

"Sure, just let me stir the rice" said Victoria.

Once the rice was stirred and she was sure it wouldn't burn she walked over to Sig. She pulled up the sweatshirt so her belly was fully exposed. Sig gently placed his hand on her stomach feeling the movement of the babies inside.

"You should talk to them" said Victoria. "They love it when Norman does."

Sig leaned forward almost pressing his lips to Victoria's belly.

"Hey kids, I'm your uncle Sig. Your best uncle" said Sig.

He leaned back and watched as Victoria's stomach rippled slightly and the clear impression of a foot appeared just above her belly button.

"Wow, that was a foot" said Sig placing his hand where the foot had been.

He could feel the faint outline of the body part. He pressed slightly harder trying to feel the contours of the foot. Victoria stepped back rubbing her hand along her tummy.

"Not so hard. You can't grab the foot through my skin" said Victoria.

"Sorry, I got carried away" said Sig.

"It's ok. Are you ready to eat?" asked Victoria.

"Yep, what do you want to drink?" asked Sig opening the fridge.

"Sparkling water, the lemon one on the top shelf. You look like you could use a beer, try one from the door" said Victoria.

"I don't want to drink one in front of you at 10 am" said Sig.

"I won't tell" said Victoria.

"Norman would have my ass if he thought I was drinking. What if you went into labor?" asked Sig.

"Well Norman is already going to have your ass because I'm suppose to stay in bed" said Victoria. "What's beer?"

"You said you were allowed out of bed" said Sig grabbing the drinks.

"I am, but only to go to the bathroom. Don't worry, if anyone asks I'll say you made the food" said Victoria setting the plates on the table.

"I'm so dead. You better eat fast and get back upstairs" said Sig.

"I haven't been allowed of bed since I fell, I'm relishing this. In fact I may not go back upstairs at all. Maybe I'll take a walk" said Victoria.

"You eat your food and then you are going back upstairs even if I have to carry you" said Sig.

"If you plan on carrying me I hope you've been lifting weights" said Victoria.

"I could do it. It would probably be all on adrenaline anyway, like those moms that lift cars off their children" explained Sig.

Victoria and Sig ate their meal enjoying the delicious food and spirited conversation. Once Victoria was finished she sighed then yawned. Sig helped her upstairs and tucked her back into bed. He'd just finished putting the last dish away when Norman and Edgar returned.

"How'd it go?" asked Norman.

"Fine, she's taking a nap" said Sig.

"Good, she needs the rest" said Norman. "Did she get up at all?"

"She showed me some of the gifts in the nursery" said Sig.

"Oh, well I guess that's ok" said Norman.

"Norm, we need to get started on the shelves" said Edgar.

"Right, thanks for Elf sitting for me Sig" said Norman.

"You're welcome" said Sig. "I'll see you later."

Sig made a quick exit before Norman discovered what Victoria had really been up to in his absence.

A/N: Up Next the birth of a couple of babies.


	27. Chapter 27

Sig sat in the living room watching Victoria fold baby clothes from a reclined position on the couch. He couldn't believe that he was Victoria-sitting twice in one week. Of course this time it wasn't really by choice, he'd lost rock paper scissors to Edgar. He suspected Edgar had cheated, which shouldn't really be surprising. He'd offered to help Victoria fold the laundry but when she went on some hormone induced rant about no one folding things the right way he retreated to a chair across the room. Victoria had just set the last of the onsies in a pile when she sneezed.

"Fuck" said Victoria struggling to get up.

Sig got up from his seat and helped to hoist Victoria off the couch. She got up and headed towards the stairs.

"Tired already?" asked Sig.

"No, I have to change clothes" said Victoria disgustedly.

"You look fine" said Sig.

"I sneezed and peed a little. I'm changing my pants" said Victoria grumpily.

"That was way too much information" said Sig.

Victoria didn't even bother to respond. Sig watched her slow progress up the stairs and when she made it to the top he breathed a sigh of relief. She was gone an awfully long time and Sig started to get a little worried. He walked briskly up the stairs praying that she was just taking a nap. He was relieved when he reached the bedroom and heard the shower running. She's taking a shower, probably got pee all over herself and is just cleaning up thought Sig. He heard the shower stop and hastened back downstairs. He was sitting casually on the couch when Victoria reappeared downstairs.

"Everything ok?" asked Sig.

"I think my water broke" said Victoria.

Sig's eyes widened in alarm as he tried to recall all the instructions Norman had given him before he left the house. Victoria walked into the kitchen Sig following in her wake. She picked up the phone and dialed Norman's number, when she got the voice mail she hung up without leaving a message. Next she dialed Edgar's number.

"Hello" he answered.

"Edgar, it's Victoria. Is Norman still with you?" asked Victoria.

"Yeah, right here. Do you need us to pick up something on the way home?" asked Edgar.

"Nope, can you just tell Norman I broke my water" said Victoria her voice completely calm.

"What? Are you serious?" said Edgar his voice raising to an almost comical volume.

"Yes, how far away are you guys?" asked Victoria.

"Probably about an hour away" said Edgar.

"Ok, you'll just have him meet me at the hospital. I'll have Sig drive me" said Victoria.

"Oh my God, I can't believe this is happening" said Edgar.

"I'll see you at the hospital" said Victoria then hung up.

"Alright Sig, they are a ways away so you are going to have to drive me" said Victoria.

Sig helped Victoria into the truck taking care not to jostle her. Victoria for her part was calm, it was kind of how she imagined going into labor. According to the books she read the birth of a first child was usually long and arduous so she wasn't really that concerned about having the babies suddenly born en-route to the hospital.

"Sig, can you go through the in and out drive thru?" asked Victoria.

"What? You don't have time to eat. Besides Norman said not to feed you if you went into labor" said Sig.

"I just broke my water, probably not even technically in labor. Besides I heard from June and Louise that I should eat something because chances are I won't be allowed to eat for a long time" said Victoria.

"Victoria, I don't want you popping out those kids in this car" said Sig.

"Sig, when I asked it was really more of a command" said Victoria.

"Fine. God I hope you only have these two kids, you are a huge pain in the ass when you're pregnant" grumbled Sig.

"Did you just call me fat?" said Victoria.

"NO!" yelled Sig.

Pulling into the drive thru Sig repeated the order Victoria had given him.

"And can you put a rush on it, I've got a sister in law in labor" said Sig.

"Sure" said the speaker.

At the window every employee was standing there staring at the idiot who was in a drive through line with a woman in labor. Victoria waved to the employees and accepted their gift of a paper hat with a smile. She also told them it was her request to stop not his which seemed to endear Sig to the whole restaurant. As they pulled away from the restaurant Sig's cell rang.

"Hello" he answered.

"Sig, where are you?" asked Norman.

"Just heading to the hospital. Elf wanted to stop for burgers" said Sig.

"I told you not to let her eat" said Norman.

"You take it up with her" said Sig.

"I will as soon as you get her here" said Norman. "Just drop her off at the front, Edgar and I are waiting."

Sig arrived at the hospital and successfully passed Victoria into the grateful hands of her husband.

The check in process was quick and painless for Norman. Victoria could agree with the quick part, but not the painless part. The pelvic exam had been excruciating and she was still hurting even as she sat in the private birthing room. The contraction monitor was humming away and Norman anxiously watched the printout. Edgar had gone home to pick up Louise and Sig had gone home to get June. Norman hovered over Victoria constantly offering her ice chips or back rubs.

"How are you feeling?" asked Norman for the 10th time in the past 10 minutes.

"Still doing fine" said Victoria.

"Good. I can't believe how calm you are" said Norman.

"Well I've had a good seven months to think about this moment" said Victoria simply.

Edgar barged into the room with Sig, Louise and June in his wake.

"Elf, did you pop out those kids yet?" asked Edgar.

"Nope, still in there" said Victoria.

"Bummer, we were all hoping for an early dinner" said Edgar.

"I'll do my best to hurry the process along" said Victoria.

"How are you feeling Victoria?" asked June.

"I'm ok, no really terrible pain yet" said Victoria.

"That's good because it's only going to get worse" said Louise.

"Have you been practicing your kegles?" asked June.

"Yep. Hopefully it won't be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway when this is all over" said Victoria.

"Wow, that is a mental image that will never go away" said Sig.

The doctor walked into the room and everyone gave Victoria a little privacy as she was examined.

"Well Victoria you are progressing well, but I'm a little worried that one of the babies is turned a little more than I'd like. I hope the baby will sort itself out but if not there is a chance that we may have to do a c-section" said the doctor.

"I suppose that's fine" said Victoria.

"Good. We will wait and see how it goes" said the doctor.

The guys returned to Victoria's bedside once the doctor left. Edgar sat next to the contraction monitor giving the room a play by play of the action. Victoria for her part was starting to feel more and more pressure and pain. A few hours later Edgar was trying to distract Victoria from the pain by telling her stories of Norman's antics as his older brother.

"So of course I wanted to borrow Norman's car for prom but he wouldn't let me because I didn't have a license. I thought that was a bullshit reason so I took the car anyway. So, we are in the middle of the prom and in busts Norman looking like he had murder in his heart. He hauls me outside and proceeds to beat the crap out of me before taking the keys and telling me he'll pick up my date when the dance is over but that I'm going to have to walk home. It's like 10 minutes to midnight and Norman pulls up and my date gets into the car with him and he just drives off leaving me at the dance. It turns out he totally got lucky with my date before he dropped her off at home. The next week at school my date talked to everyone about how amazing my brother was. I never lived it down" said Edgar finishing the story.

Edgar watched as the contraction waves seemed to get higher and higher. Victoria had completely stopped talking and was starting to look more than a little pale. Norman was sitting next to Victoria holding her hand. He grimaced every time she squeezed it during a particularly hard contraction.

"Norman, I think I'm going to need some drugs" said Victoria in a quiet voice.

The doctor returned at Norman's request and once again checked Victoria.

"I have some good news and some other news" began the doctor.

"Do either of the pieces of news involve drugs?" asked Victoria her voice horribly strained.

"As a matter of fact one does" said the doctor.

"Then skip the news and give me the drugs" said Victoria through gritted teeth.

The doctor signaled the nurse to call the anesthesiologist before turning back to Victoria.

"Well one of the babies is definitely turned, you aren't going to be able to deliver vaginally. We are going to take you for c-section as soon as you're all numbed up" said the doctor.

Victoria just nodded dumbly a few tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

"Victoria, what's wrong?" asked Norman.

"I feel like a failure" said Victoria.

"Why?" asked Norman.

"Because I can't even have these babies the right way" said Victoria her voice teary.

"Victoria, there is no right way or wrong way to have a baby. If God wanted us to have them in fields with no drugs he wouldn't have invented hospitals" said Louise.

Victoria gave her a watery smile before laying her head back on the pillows. Norman winced as once again Victoria squeezed his hand through a brutal contraction. She noticed him tense and looked down at his red and abused fingers. When the next contraction hit she released his hand and grasped her own digging her fingernails into the skin creating bloody half moons.

"Don't do that" said Edgar grabbing her hands.

"I can't help it, it hurts" said Victoria.

"Squeeze our hands, that's why we are here. To make it easier on you" explained Edgar.

"You've never made anything easy for me since the day I met you" quipped Victoria.

"Well, it's nice to know that despite the pain you are still a huge smart ass" said Edgar.

"Did you just call my ass fat?" asked Victoria her voice dropping to just a whisper.

Edgar looked mortified and shook his head.

"Oh my God, it's great to see someone else on the other end of that comment. She's been doing that to me since we got back" said Sig.

"Oh shit, I think she just made my heart stop a little" said Edgar his hand clutched dramatically to his chest.

The anesthesiologist appeared with a tray full of needles. Victoria was drugged up and soon sitting back peacefully flipping through the TV channels waiting to be taken away for the c-section.

Norman kept leaning over the blue curtain separating Victoria's top and bottom halves. The doctor once again told him that his wife probably did not want pictures of her cut open stomach as memories of the birth of her babies. Norman however refused to listen, he'd just snapped a picture of a foot pushing out of the incision. He watched as the baby was pulled out by a leg then quickly wrapped in a blanket and toweled off and shown to Victoria.

"It's a baby boy" announced the doctor.

"He's beautiful" said Norman as the nurse handed the baby to him. "My son."

Norman moved the baby so Victoria could kiss him. The fingers of her hand not strapped to the table came up and caressed the soft baby cheek.

"Here's baby number 2 and it's a girl" said the doctor.

"She's tiny" said Norman immediately noticing the disparity in sizes between the twins.

Once again he presented the baby for Victoria to kiss. Victoria smiled tiredly and told Norman to go with the babies, to not let them out of his sight. Norman followed the team of pediatricians and nurses to the nursery to watch the babies get their first baths. Victoria remained where she being carefully sewn up by a medical student.

"Wow, that's pretty good for your first time" said the supervising doctor.

"Hey, I can still hear you and it's not something I wanted to hear" said Victoria from her side of the curtain.

"Your scar will be tiny, he did a fantastic job" said the doctor.

Victoria was wheeled into recovery and immediately Edgar and Sig entered the room.

"Hi Elf, we chose you over the babies" said Edgar.

"Did you see them?" asked Victoria.

"Yep, they look like trouble makers. Mom said the boy looks just like Sig when he was a born so look out" said Edgar.

"Norman wouldn't tell us the names yet" said Sig.

"Oh really, well I suppose he must have a reason" said Victoria mysteriously.

Victoria began to shiver violently and Sig and Edgar both grabbed warmed blankets from the nurse and covered her up.

"The nurse said it's just from the anesthesia" said Edgar. "It will go away soon."

Victoria just nodded and gave Sig a questioning look.

"The babies are fine, Norman and mom are with them in the nursery" said Sig.

"Your mom is here?" asked Victoria.

"Of course, she wouldn't miss this for the world. In fact I'm sure she will all but move in to help you take care of the babies" said Edgar.

Victoria's eyes widened at the suggestion. She was saved by having to explain the look on her face by the entrance of the babies and their entourage. Victoria was propped up in bed and the babies were handed to her one at a time so she could hold them.

"Ok mommy, these little ones are hungry" said the nurse.

The next few minutes were spent trying to get the babies to latch on while trying to keep her nipples out of everyone's line of sight. Eventually both babies were fed and asleep.

"Well, now that we are all here what are their names" asked Edgar.

"You tell them" said Victoria to Norman.

"This is our little girl Kjeristie Riaan Hansen and this is our little boy Matias Norvic Hansen" said Norman with a huge grin.

"What's up to the middle names" said Sig.

"They were Jake's idea, you know parts of our names combined to make a new name" said Victoria.

"Wow, he will be so happy that you used his idea" said Edgar. "In fact I'm calling him now."

Edgar dialed Jake's number and delivered the good news about the birth of the twins and their middle names.

The new family arrived at home 3 days later. They spent the next few days getting use to having two infants squalling at all hours of the day. Victoria was attempting to recover from her c-section so the majority of the lifting and carrying fell to Norman. He loved being a dad, he carried the little ones everywhere, cooing their names and cuddling them when they cried. As promised Sver visited everyday proving herself invaluable to the new parents. Most evenings found Norman and Victoria half asleep on the couch each holding a baby in their arms. The summer was coming up fast, Norman and Edgar would head up to tender salmon leaving Victoria alone with the babies.

Sig and Edgar sat in the kitchen with Norman quietly discussing the upcoming season. Norman was hesitant to leave Victoria on her own, but needed go in order to stay financially sound.

"I'll check on her Norman, so will Louise, June and mom. She'll be fine" said Sig.

"I know, the babies are just so young" said Norman worriedly.

"How are the babies doing with sleeping and eating?" asked Edgar.

"Good, they are sleeping almost 5 hours in a row at night. Victoria's still nursing them and also pumping. So if she gets too tired I can feed them with a bottle" said Norman.

"Well that's good. I'm sure she'll be fine" said Edgar.

"Yeah, she has them on a schedule" said Norman with a smile.

"Sounds like Elf has everything well in hand" said Sig.

Victoria walked into the kitchen and said hello to the guys before going to the fridge and pulling out food for lunch.

"Where are the babies?" asked Edgar.

"They are in the pack and play. Why do you want to hold one?" asked Victoria.

"Yeah. Come on Sig, lets go get them" said Edgar.

Sig and Edgar walked out of the room and returned a moment later holding the twins. Edgar was holding Kjeristie while Sig held Matias.

"I can't believe how big they are getting" said Sig.

"I think Kjeristie looks like Norman" said Edgar.

"Well I suppose that could be good or bad" said Sig.

Norman walked over to Victoria and helped her to make a quick lunch for everyone. Victoria set down the plates and quickly ate before taking Matty from Sig. Victoria walked around in aimless circles with Matty cooing in her arms. Edgar easily ate with one hand while holding Kjeristie in the other while Norman looked on nervously.

"I won't drop her Norm, I've done this many times before" said Edgar.

"Please, just be careful with her" said Norman.

"Come on, even if I dropped her you have a spare" said Edgar with a smile.

"They both have names, try to use them" said Victoria.

"Whatever you say Elf" replied Edgar.

Weeks later Edgar and Norman said goodbye to their families and headed out for salmon tendering season. Sig was true to his word and came to visit Victoria almost everyday. Today he walked into the house to the smell of fresh baked cookies. Victoria seemed to be baking for an army lately. In fact June had come home with 2 dozen snickerdoodles the day before.

"Victoria, how's it going?" called Sig.

He heard the sound of Matty crying and hurried upstairs to see if everything was ok. He walked into the nursery and saw Victoria asleep in the rocking chair, Kjeristie asleep in her lap her breast out and dripping milk. Sig took Kjeristie out of her arms and laid her down in her crib. Picking up Matias he attempted to maneuver the baby under Victoria's breast. Matty did his best to move himself into position but seemed to be failing miserably. Sig took a deep breath picked up Victoria's breast and positioned it into the baby's mouth. Matty latched on and was sucking away happily when Victoria's eyes fluttered open.

"Hi Elf" said Sig quietly.

"Hi Sig. Did you switch them out? Because I thought I was feeding Kjeritie" asked Victoria sleepily.

"I did. I hope you don't mind" said Sig.

"I appreciate the help" said Victoria.

"Are you paying everyone that helps with cookies?" asked Sig.

"No, why do you ask?" asked Victoria.

"Well you sent some home with June and it smells like chocolate chips cookies in here today" said Sig.

"Oh, I'm helping out Louise by baking some stuff for the church's bake sale" said Victoria.

"When do you have time to bake?" asked Sig.

"Well these kiddos do sleep occasionally" said Victoria.

As if proving her point Matty fell asleep her nipple slipping out of his mouth. Sig leaned forward and took Matty from Victoria's lap. He carefully laid him in the crib next to his sister. By the time he turned around Victoria had already attached herself to the breast pump and the eerie sound of electronic sucking filled the room.

"How's the milking going?" asked Sig.

"Please don't call it that" said Victoria giving Sig a sour look.

"Sorry, but that's what it looks like" said Sig.

Victoria picked up a stuffed animal and threw it at Sig's head. He deftly caught it and threw it back hitting Victoria in the face.

"Oh shit. I can't believe you didn't even try to block it" said Sig laughing.

"You better shut up before you wake those babies" said Victoria warningly.

Sig tried to quell his laughter but it was already too late. The babies were already awake and starting to whimper. Victoria gave Sig an I told you so look and walked out of the room.

"Good luck getting them to go back to sleep" said Victoria.

"Where are you going?" asked Sig.

"I have to put this milk away" replied Victoria.

Sig turned back to the crying babies wondering how he was going to comfort them both at the same time.

Norman and the rest of the crew of the Northwestern were greeted at the docks by their family and friends. Pulling into the dock Norman's eyes searched the crowd for Victoria and the twins. He'd been able to talk to her quite a bit during the months he'd been away but seeing and holding his family was what he was looking forward to now. He spotted Victoria talking to Louise with neither baby in her arms. Norman saw that Alexis was holding one baby and Sig was holding the other.

"Looks like everyone is safe and sound" said Nick.

"Yep, I'm so glad to be back. This was the longest trip of my life" said Norman.

Once the boat was secured the guys hopped over the rails and into the loving arms of their family members. Norman and Victoria embraced and kissed both feeling the months of longing for each other overwhelm them. Alexis cleared her throat, causing Norman and Victoria to step back from each other, then handed Matty to Norman.

"He's getting so big" said Norman with a gentle smile.

"He eats all the time" said Victoria.

"Where's my little girl?" asked Norman.

"She's with Sig. You'll probably have to wrestle her away from him, they are inseparable" explained Victoria.

"Oh yeah? When did that happen?" asked Norman.

"He and your mother took turns helping out at the house. He was there every other day and he's Kjeristie's favorite. They absolutely adore each other" said Victoria.

Taking Matty from Norman's arms she and Norman walked over to where Sig was standing with Edgar.

"Hey Elf" said Edgar. Victoria gave Edgar a one armed hug before he took Matty out of her arms.

"Sig. Can I have my daughter back?" asked Norman.

Sig reluctantly handed over Kjeristie watching almost longingly as Norman gave his daughter a hug and a kiss.

"Victoria, grab Matty and lets go home" said Norman.

They walked together to the car and got the kids strapped in and headed home.

This routine was repeated each and every season. As the children got older Norman found he missed them more and more. Victoria found life as a fisherman's wife came with its own set of challenges. She missed Norman terribly when he was gone and the time he was home seemed to go so fast. Kjeristie and Matias grew up to be great kids, full of wonder and yet completely mischievous. Victoria kept the kids well in hand and Norman was always impressed at what a great mom she was. Kjeristie remained Sig's favorite, he spoiled her more than any other family member and when she expressed an interest in learning how to run the boat he broke his rule about girls on the boat and taught her. But that's another story.

The End

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the story. Thank you to all who read this story and to those of you who took time to post reviews, I really appreciate the feedback and encouragement.


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